POWER OF ATTORNEY

     Know all by these  presents,  that the undersigned  hereby  constitutes and
appoints  each of John R. Sims and  Felicia D.  Thornton,  signing  singly,  the
undersigned's true and lawful attorney-in-fact to:

     (1)  execute  for and on behalf of the  undersigned,  in the  undersigned's
          capacity as a Section 16  reporting  officer or member of the Board of
          Directors of Albertson's,  Inc. (the "Company'),  Forms~3, 4, and 5 in
          accordance with  Section~16(a) of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934
          and the rules thereunder;
     (2)  do and perform  any and all acts for and on behalf of the  undersigned
          which may be  necessary  or desirable to complete and execute any such
          Form~3,  4, or 5,  complete and execute any  amendment  or  amendments
          thereto,  and timely file such form with the United States  Securities
          and Exchange  Commission and any stock exchange or similar  authority;
          and
     (3)  take any other action of any type  whatsoever in  connection  with the
          foregoing  which, in the opinion of such  attorney-in-fact,  may be of
          benefit  to, in the best  interest  of, or  legally  required  by, the
          undersigned,  it being understood that the documents  executed by such
          attorney-in-fact  on behalf of the undersigned  pursuant to this Power
          of  Attorney  shall be in such form and shall  contain  such terms and
          conditions   as   such    attorney-in-fact   may   approve   in   such
          attorney-in-fact's discretion.

     The undersigned hereby grants to each such  attorney-in-fact full power and
authority  to do and perform any and every act and thing  whatsoever  requisite,
necessary,  or proper to be done in the exercise of any of the rights and powers
herein granted, as fully to all intents and purposes as the undersigned might or
could do if personally  present,  with full power of substitution or revocation,
hereby  ratifying  and  confirming  all  that  such  attorney-in-fact,  or  such
attorney-in-fact's  substitute or substitutes,  shall lawfully do or cause to be
done by virtue of this  power of  attorney  and the  rights  and  powers  herein
granted. The undersigned acknowledges that the foregoing  attorneys-in-fact,  in
serving in such  capacity at the request of the  undersigned,  are not assuming,
nor is the Company assuming, any of the undersigned's responsibilities to comply
with Section~16 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

     This Power of  Attorney  shall  remain in full  force and effect  until the
undersigned is no longer required to file Forms~3,  4, and 5 with respect to the
undersigned's  holdings of and transactions in securities issued by the Company,
unless earlier revoked by the  undersigned in a signed writing  delivered to the
foregoing attorneys-in-fact.

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has caused this Power of Attorney to be
executed as of this 20th day of November, 2003.

                                                     /s/  Susan M. Neumann
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                                                                Signature
                                                          Susan M. Neumann
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