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      AS FILED WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION ON JULY 25, 2001

                                               REGISTRATION NO. 333-____________
================================================================================


                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                              WASHINGTON, DC 20549

                              --------------------
                                    FORM S-8

                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT

                                      UNDER

                           THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

                                  SAFEWAY INC.
             (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)




                                             5918 Stoneridge Mall Road
          Delaware                         Pleasanton, California 94588                      94-3019135
                                                                                      
(State or other jurisdiction of          (Address, including Zip Code, of         (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)
 incorporation or organization)            Principal Executive Offices)



                              --------------------

                        GENUARDI'S FAMILY MARKETS, L.P.
                             RETIREMENT SAVINGS PLAN

                            (Full title of the plan)

                              --------------------
                             Robert A. Gordon, Esq.
                    Senior Vice President and General Counsel
                                  SAFEWAY INC.
                            5918 Stoneridge Mall Road
                          Pleasanton, California 94588
                                 (925) 467-3000
 (Name, Address and Telephone Number, including Area Code, of Agent For Service)

                                   Copies to:
                              Scott R. Haber, Esq.
                                Latham & Watkins
                        505 Montgomery Street, Suite 1900
                         San Francisco, California 94111
                                 (415) 391-0600

                              --------------------

                         CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE



=====================================================================================================================
                                                                                    Proposed
                                                               Proposed             Maximum
   Title Of                                 Amount              Maximum             Aggregate             Amount Of
 Securities To                               To Be           Offering Price          Offering            Registration
Be Registered (1)                         Registered          Per Share(2)           Price (2)               Fee
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                              
Common Stock, $0.01 par
value
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Genuardi's Family Markets,                  500,000             $45.01            $22,505,000.00        $5,626.25
L.P. Retirement Savings Plan
=====================================================================================================================


(1)     In addition, pursuant to Rule 416(c) under the Securities Act of 1933,
        this registration statement also covers an indeterminate amount of
        interests to be offered or sold pursuant to the Genuardi's Family
        Markets, L.P. Retirement Savings Plan, as amended, described herein.

(2)     Estimated for the purpose of calculating the registration fee pursuant
        to Rule 457(c) for the shares registered hereunder (the average ($45.01)
        of the high ($45.50) and low ($44.51) prices for the Registrant's Common
        Stock quoted on the New York Stock Exchange on July 23, 2001).




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                                       I.

              INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE SECTION 10(A) PROSPECTUS

        The information called for in Part I of Form S-8 is not being filed with
or included in this Form S-8 (by incorporation by reference or otherwise) in
accordance with the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange
Commission (the "Commission").

                                      II.

               INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

ITEM 3. INCORPORATION OF DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE.

        We incorporate by reference the following documents we or the Genuardi's
Family Markets, L.P. Retirement Savings Plan, as amended (the "Plan") filed with
the Commission pursuant to Section 13 of the Exchange Act (Commission file
number 1-00041):

        -       Safeway's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended
                December 30, 2000;

        -       Safeway's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period
                ended March 24, 2001;

        -       Safeway's Current Reports on Form 8-K dated January 26, 2001,
                January 31, 2001, March 5, 2001 and March 7, 2001;

        -       Description of Safeway's common stock contained in its
                registration statement on Form 8-A filed with the Commission on
                February 20, 1990, including the amendment on Form 8 dated
                March 26, 1990; and

        -       All documents filed by Safeway or the Plan with the Commission
                pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange
                Act, prior to the filing of a post-effective amendment which
                indicates that all securities offered have been sold or which
                deregisters all securities then remaining unsold.

        Information that we or the Plan file later with the Commission will
automatically update and supersede this information.

ITEM 4. DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES.

        Not Applicable.

ITEM 5. INTERESTS OF NAMED EXPERTS AND COUNSEL.

        Not Applicable.

ITEM 6. INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS.

        As permitted by the Delaware General Corporation Law, the Registrant's
Restated Certificate of Incorporation provides that a director of the Registrant
will not be personally liable to the Registrant or its stockholders for monetary
damages for any breach of fiduciary duty as a director, except for liability (i)
for breach of the duty of loyalty to the Registrant or its stockholders, (ii)
for acts or omissions not in good faith or which involve intentional misconduct
or a knowing violation of law, (iii) under Section 174 of the Delaware General
Corporation Law (governing distributions to stockholders), or (iv) for any
transaction for which a director derives an improper personal benefit. In
addition, Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation law and Article III,
Section 13 of the



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Registrant's bylaws, under certain circumstances, provide for the
indemnification of the Registrant's officers, directors, employees and agents
against liabilities which they may incur in such capacities. A summary of the
circumstances in which such indemnification is provided for is contained herein,
but that description is qualified in its entirety by reference to Article III,
Section 13 of the Registrant's bylaws.

        In general, any officer, director, employee or agent will be indemnified
against expenses, including attorney's fees, fines, settlements or judgments,
which were actually and reasonably incurred, in connection with a legal
proceeding, other than one brought by or on behalf of the Registrant, to which
he was a party as a result of such relationship, if he acted in good faith, and
in the manner he believed to be in or not opposed to the Registrant's best
interest and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no
reasonable cause to believe his conduct was unlawful. If the action is brought
by or on behalf of the Registrant, the person to be indemnified must have acted
in good faith and in a manner he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to
the Registrant's best interest, but no indemnification will be made in respect
of any claim, issue or matter as to which such person shall have been adjudged
to be liable to the Registrant unless and only to the extent that the Court of
Chancery of Delaware, or the court in which such action was brought, determines
upon application that, despite adjudication of liability but in view of all the
circumstances of the case, such person is fairly and reasonably entitled to
indemnity for such expense which such Court of Chancery or such other court
shall deem proper.

        Any indemnification under the previous paragraphs (unless ordered by a
court) will be made by the Registrant only as authorized in the specific case
upon a determination that indemnification of the director, officer, employee or
agent is proper under the circumstances because he has met the applicable
standard of conduct set forth above. Such determination will be made (i) by the
Registrant's board of directors by a majority vote of a quorum of disinterested
directors who were not parties to such actions, (ii) if such quorum is not
obtainable or, even if obtainable, a quorum of disinterested directors so
directs, by independent legal counsel in a written opinion, or (iii) by the
stockholders. To the extent that a director, officer, employee or agent of the
Registrant is successful on the merits or otherwise in defense of any action,
suit or proceeding referred to in the previous paragraph, he will be indemnified
against expenses (including attorney's fees) actually and reasonably incurred by
him in connection therewith.

        Expenses incurred by an officer or director in defending a civil or
criminal action, suit or proceeding may be paid by the Registrant in advance of
the final disposition of such action, suit or proceeding upon receipt of an
undertaking by or on behalf of such director or officer to repay such amount if
it is ultimately determined that he is not entitled to be indemnified by the
Registrant as authorized by the Registrant's bylaws. Such expenses incurred by
other employees and agents may be so paid upon such terms and conditions, if
any, as the Registrant's board of directors deems appropriate.

        The indemnification and advancement of expenses provided by, or granted
pursuant to, Section 13 of the Registrant's bylaws is not deemed exclusive of
any other rights to which those seeking indemnification or advancement of
expenses may be entitled under any by-law, agreement, vote of stockholders or
disinterested directors or otherwise, both as to action in his official capacity
and as to action in another capacity while holding such office. If a claim for
indemnification or payment of expenses under Section 13 of the Registrant's
bylaws is not paid in full within ninety (90) days after a written claim
therefor has been received by the Registrant, the claimant may file suit to
recover the unpaid amount of such claim and, if successful in whole or in part,
shall be entitled to be paid the expense of prosecuting such claim. In any such
action, the Registrant has the burden of proving that the claimant was not
entitled to the requested indemnification or payment of expenses under
applicable law.

        The Registrant's board of directors may authorize, by a vote of a
majority of a quorum of the Registrant's board of directors, the Registrant to
purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of any person who is or was a
director, officer, employee or agent of the Registrant, or is or was serving at
the request of the Registrant as a director, officer, employee or agent of
another corporation partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise
against any liability asserted against him and incurred by him in any such
capacity, or arising out of his status as such, whether or not the Registrant
would have the power to indemnify him against such liability under the
provisions of Section 13 of the Registrant's bylaws. The Registrant's board of
directors may authorize the Registrant to enter into a contract with any person
who is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the Registrant or is or
was serving at



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 the request of the Registrant as a director, officer, employee or agent of
another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise
providing for indemnification rights equivalent to or, if the Registrant's board
of directors so determines, greater than those provided for in Section 13 of the
Registrant's bylaws.

        The Registrant has also purchased insurance for its directors and
officers for certain losses arising from claims or charges made against them in
their capacities as directors and officers of the Registrant.

ITEM 7. EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION CLAIMED.

        Not Applicable.

ITEM 8. EXHIBITS.

        4.1     Genuardi's Family Markets, L.P. Retirement Savings Plan, as
                amended.

        5.1     Genuardi's Family Markets, L.P. Retirement Savings Plan Internal
                Revenue Service Determination letter (see Item 9(d)).

        23.1    Consent of Deloitte & Touche LLP.

        24.1    Power of Attorney (incorporated by reference in the signature
                page to the Registration Statement).

---------------

ITEM 9. UNDERTAKINGS.

(a)     The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:

        (1)     To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being
made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement;

                (i)     To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3)
        of the Securities Act;

                (ii)    To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising
        after the effective date of this registration statement (or the most
        recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the
        aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth
        in the registration statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any
        increase or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total
        dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was
        registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated
        maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed
        with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the
        changes in volume and price represent no more than 20 percent change in
        the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the "Calculation of
        Registration Fee" table in the effective registration statement;

                (iii)   To include any material information with respect to the
        plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration
        statement or any material change to such information in the registration
        statement;

provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (a)(1)(ii) do not apply if the
registration statement is on Form S-3 or Form S-8, and the information required
to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in
periodic reports filed with or furnished to the Commission by the registrant
pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act that are
incorporated by reference in the registration statement.

        (2)     That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the
Securities Act, each such post-effective



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amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the
securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time
shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

        (3)     To remove from registration by means of a post-effective
amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the
termination of the offering.

(b)     The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of
determining any liability under the Securities Act, each filing of the
registrant's annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the
Exchange Act (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan's
annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act) that is
incorporated by reference in the registration statement shall be deemed to be a
new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the
offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona
fide offering thereof.

(c)     Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities
Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the
registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the registrant
has been advised that in the opinion of the Commission such indemnification is
against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore,
unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such
liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or
paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the registrant in the
successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such
director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being
registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter
has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate
jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public
policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final
adjudication of such issue.

(d)     Pursuant to Item 8(b) of Form S-8, in lieu of an Internal Revenue
Service ("IRS") determination letter that the Plan is qualified under Section
401 of the Internal Revenue Code, the undersigned registrant hereby undertakes
that it has submitted the Plan and any amendments thereto, and will submit any
future amendments, to the IRS in a timely manner and will make all changes
required by the IRS to qualify the Plan.



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                                   SIGNATURES


        Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the
Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all
of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this Registration
Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly
authorized, in the City of Pleasanton, State of California on this 25th day of
July 2001.



                              SAFEWAY INC.

                              By: /s/ ROBERT A. GORDON
                                  ---------------------------------------------
                                  Robert A. Gordon
                                  Senior Vice President and General Counsel



                                POWER OF ATTORNEY


        KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature
appears below does hereby constitute and appoint Robert A. Gordon with full
power of substitution and full power to act without the other, such person's
true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent to act for such person in such
person's name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any or all
amendments (including post-effective amendments) to this Registration Statement
on Form S-8, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and other
documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission,
granting unto said attorney-in-fact and agent, full power and authority to do
and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in
and about the premises in order to effectuate the same as fully, to all intents
and purposes, as such person might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and
confirming all that said attorney-in-fact and agent, may lawfully do or cause to
be done by virtue hereof.

        Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this
Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the
capacities indicated on July 25, 2001.




Signature                                                                    Title
---------                                                                    -----
                                                      
/s/ STEVEN A. BURD                                       Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer
------------------------------------                     (Principal Executive Officer)
Steven A. Burd


/s/ VASANT M. PRABHU                                     Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
------------------------------------                     (Principal Financial Officer and Principal Accounting Officer)
Vasant M. Prabhu


/s/ JAMES H. GREENE, JR.                                 Director
------------------------------------
James H. Greene, Jr.


/s/ PAUL HAZEN                                           Director
------------------------------------
Paul Hazen


/s/ HECTOR LEY LOPEZ                                     Director
------------------------------------
Hector Ley Lopez


                                                         Director
------------------------------------
Robert I. MacDonnell


/s/ PETER A. MAGOWAN                                     Director
------------------------------------
Peter A. Magowan





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/s/ GEORGE R. ROBERTS                                    Director
------------------------------------
George R. Roberts


/s/ REBECCA A. STIRN                                     Director
------------------------------------
Rebecca A. Stirn


/s/ WILLIAM Y. TAUSCHER                                  Director
------------------------------------
William Y. Tauscher



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        Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1933,
as amended, the Benefits Plan Committee of Safeway Inc. has caused this
Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto
duly authorized in the city of Pleasanton, California on July 25, 2001.



                                        GENUARDI'S FAMILY MARKETS, L.P.
                                        RETIREMENT SAVINGS PLAN


                                        By:   /s/ DAVID F. BOND
                                           ----------------------------------
                                           Name:  David F. Bond
                                           Title: Benefits Plan Committee Member

                                        By:
                                           ----------------------------------
                                           Name:  Michael J. Boylan
                                           Title: Benefits Plan Committee Member

                                        By:   /s/ GERRI BURRUEL
                                           ----------------------------------
                                           Name:  Gerri Burruel
                                           Title: Benefits Plan Committee Member

                                        By:   /s/ DAVID F. FAUSTMAN
                                           ----------------------------------
                                           Name:  David F. Faustman
                                           Title: Benefits Plan Committee Member


                                        By:   /s/ DICK W. GONZALES
                                           ----------------------------------
                                           Name:  Dick W. Gonzales
                                           Title: Benefits Plan Committee Member


                                        By:   /s/ MELISSA C. PLAISANCE
                                           ----------------------------------
                                           Name:  Melissa C. Plaisance
                                           Title: Benefits Plan Committee Member

                                        By:   /s/ KARL SHROEDER
                                           ----------------------------------
                                           Name:  Karl Shroeder
                                           Title: Benefits Plan Committee Member
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                                INDEX TO EXHIBITS


4.1     Genuardi's Family Markets, L.P. Retirement Savings Plan, as amended.

5.1     Genuardi's Family Markets, L.P. Retirement Savings Plan Internal Revenue
        Service Determination letter (see Item 9(d)).

23.1    Consent of Deloitte & Touche LLP.


24.1    Power of Attorney (incorporated by reference in the signature page to
        the Registration Statement).