Safeway (SWY)

Federal Income Tax Consequences Associated with the 2007 Plan

The following is a general summary under current law of the material federal income tax consequences to an employee, director or consultant granted an award under the 2007 Plan. This summary deals with the general federal income tax principles that apply and is provided only for general information. Some kinds of taxes, such as state, local and foreign income taxes and federal employment taxes, are not discussed. Tax laws are complex and subject to change and may vary depending on individual circumstances and from locality to locality. The summary does not discuss all aspects of federal income taxation that may be relevant in light of a holder’s personal circumstances. This summarized tax information is not tax advice, and a holder of an award should rely on the advice of his or her legal and tax advisors.

Non-Qualified Stock Options.  If an optionee is granted a NQSO under the 2007 Plan, the optionee should not have taxable income on the grant of the option. Generally, the optionee should recognize ordinary income at the time of exercise in an amount equal to the fair market value of a share of Common Stock at such time, less the exercise price paid. The optionee’s basis in the stock for purposes of determining gain or loss on a subsequent sale or disposition of such shares generally will be the fair market value of the Common Stock on the date the optionee exercises such option. Any subsequent gain or loss generally will be taxable as a capital gain or loss.

Incentive Stock Options.  No taxable income should be recognized by the optionee at the time of the grant of an ISO, and no taxable income should be recognized for regular federal income tax purposes at the time the option is exercised; however, the excess of the fair market value of the Common Stock received over the option price is an “item of adjustment” for alternative minimum tax purposes. The optionee will recognize taxable income in the year

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in which the purchased shares are sold or otherwise made the subject of a taxable disposition. For federal income tax purposes, dispositions are divided into two categories: qualifying and disqualifying. A qualifying disposition occurs if the sale or other disposition is made more than two years after the date the option for the shares involved in such sale or disposition is granted and more than one year after the date the shares are transferred upon exercise. If the sale or disposition occurs before these two periods are satisfied, then a disqualifying disposition will result.

Upon a qualifying disposition, the optionee should recognize long-term capital gain in an amount equal to the excess of the amount realized upon the sale or other disposition of the purchased shares over the exercise price paid for the shares. If there is a disqualifying disposition of the shares, then the excess of the fair market value of those shares on the exercise date over the exercise price paid for the shares should be taxable as ordinary income to the optionee. Any additional gain or loss recognized upon the disposition will be recognized as a capital gain or loss by the optionee.

We should not be entitled to any federal income tax deduction if the optionee makes a qualifying disposition of the shares. If the optionee makes a disqualifying disposition of the purchased shares, then generally we (or our subsidiary corporation) should be entitled to a federal income tax deduction, for the taxable year in which such disposition occurs, equal to the ordinary income recognized by the optionee.

Stock Appreciation Rights.  No taxable income generally should be recognized upon the grant of a SAR, but, upon exercise of the SAR, the cash or the fair market value of the shares received should be taxable as ordinary income to the recipient in the year of such exercise.

Restricted Stock.  In general, a recipient of restricted stock should not be taxed upon the grant or purchase of restricted stock that is subject to a “substantial risk of forfeiture” and non-transferable, within the meaning of Section 83 of the Code. However, at the time the restricted stock is no longer subject to the substantial risk of forfeiture (e.g., when the restrictions lapse on a vesting date), the participant should recognize ordinary income equal to the fair market value of the Common Stock on the date the restrictions lapse, less the amount the participant paid, if any, for such restricted stock. A recipient of restricted stock may, however, make an election under Section 83(b) of the Code to be taxed at the time of the grant or purchase on an amount equal to the fair market value of the Common Stock on the date of transfer, less the amount paid, if any, for such restricted stock. If a timely Section 83(b) election is made, the recipient should not recognize any additional income as and when the restrictions applicable to the restricted stock lapses.

Restricted Stock Units and Deferred Stock.  A recipient of restricted stock units or a deferred stock award generally should not have ordinary income upon grant of restricted stock units or deferred stock. When the shares of Common Stock are delivered under the terms of the award, the recipient should recognize ordinary income equal to the fair market value of the shares delivered, less any amount paid by the participant for such shares.

Dividend Equivalent Awards and Performance Awards.  A recipient of a dividend equivalent award or a performance award generally will not recognize taxable income at the time of grant. However, at the time such an award is paid, whether in cash or in shares of Common Stock, the participant will recognize ordinary income equal to the value received.

Stock Payments.  A participant who receives a stock payment generally will recognize taxable ordinary income in an amount equal to the fair market value of the shares of Common Stock received.

Tax Deductions and Section 162(m) of the Code.  Except as otherwise described above with respect to incentive stock options, we (or our subsidiary corporation) generally should be entitled to a federal income tax deduction when and for the same amount the recipient recognizes as ordinary income, subject to the limitations of Section 162(m) of the Code with respect to compensation paid to certain “covered employees.” Under Section 162(m), income tax deductions of publicly-held corporations may be limited to the extent total compensation (including base salary, annual bonus, stock option exercises and non-qualified benefits paid) for

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certain executive officers exceeds $1 million in any one year. The Section 162(m) deduction limit, however, does not apply to certain “performance-based compensation” as provided for by the Code and established by an independent compensation committee. In particular, stock options and SARs will satisfy the “performance-based compensation” exception if the awards are made by a qualifying compensation committee, the underlying plan sets the maximum number of shares that can be granted to any person within a specified period and the compensation is based solely on an increase in the stock price after the grant date (i.e., the exercise price or base price is not less than the fair market value of the stock subject to the award on the grant date). Other awards granted under the 2007 Plan may be “qualified performance-based compensation” for purposes of Section 162(m), if such awards are granted or vest based upon the achievement of one or more pre-established objective performance goals using one of the performance criteria described previously.

The 2007 Plan is structured in a manner that is intended to provide the Committee with the ability to provide awards that satisfy the requirements for “qualified performance-based compensation” under Section 162(m) of the Code. In the event the Committee determines that it is in the Company’s best interests to make use of such awards, the remuneration attributable to those awards should not be subject to the $1 million limitation. We have not, however, requested a ruling from the Internal Revenue Service or an opinion of counsel regarding this issue. This discussion will neither bind the Internal Revenue Service nor preclude the Internal Revenue Service from adopting a contrary position.

Section 409A of the Code.  Certain awards under the 2007 Plan may be considered “non-qualified deferred compensation” for purposes of Section 409A of the Code, which imposes certain additional requirements regarding the payment of deferred compensation. Generally, if at any time during a taxable year a non-qualified deferred compensation plan fails to meet the requirements of Section 409A, or is not operated in accordance with those requirements, all amounts deferred under the non-qualified deferred compensation plan for the taxable year and all preceding taxable years, by or for any participant with respect to whom the failure relates, are includible in the gross income of the participant for the taxable year to the extent not subject to a substantial risk of forfeiture and not previously included in gross income. If a deferred amount is required to be included in income under Section 409A, the amount also is subject to interest and an additional income tax. The interest imposed is equal to the interest at the underpayment rate plus one percentage point, imposed on the underpayments that would have occurred had the compensation been includible in income for the taxable year when first deferred, or if later, when not subject to a substantial risk of forfeiture. The additional income tax is equal to 20% of the compensation required to be included in gross income.