FTC Sues to Block Albertson's/Kroger Merger

PickyPicky3 · ‎10-22-2018

The Federal Trade Commission is trying to block the merger, saying the resulting company would be too big and lead to higher prices.

The merged K & A company would control 13% of grocery sales in the USA. Walmart currently controls 22%.

What do you think? Personally, I prefer a greater choice of stores.

cheriere · ‎12-01-2023

@PickyPicky3 Wow, I hadn't heard about this. Sounds like Walmart may have some people in the Federal Trade Commission lol.

Sooner · ‎03-10-2010

I hope they do get to merge! I'd love to see that.

On It · ‎03-15-2021

I think it needs to be blocked. In New Mexico, stores under the Kroger merger would have a monopoly. Food prices will rise because of lack of competition. The employees will not have competitive wage opportunities.

We do not need to allow the stores selling our foods do what the manufacturers have done. When only 10 mega companies control the food supply, prices are manipulated world wide. Today's prices reflect that. Here is the chart if you have never seen it showing the ownership of the food brands.

PhilaLady1 · ‎03-11-2010

I am not the sharpest tack in the box, but if antitrust laws applies, I think that started back with railroad building in the US, I would say that I am against the merger. We don't need any one company to be a monopoly with no price competition.

Icegoddess · ‎03-19-2010

@On It Do you have both Albertsons and Kroger? I thought one was an eastern store and the other western. I've only run into Albertsons when we would go out to MT for our ski trips. Just like Hellman's mayo is in the east and I think it's Best Foods in the west. Same brand, different name. The other thing is, they were somehow connectd to Kroger because they ran the same promotions and accepted Kroger's discount card.

PhilaLady1 · ‎03-11-2010

Hi @Icegoddess

I know your question wasn't directed to me, sorry to jump in. My reusable grocery bag that I bought from Acme here in the mid Atlantic has printed on it Acme and Safeway, which I think both are owed by Albertsons.

Desertdi · ‎03-13-2010

The State of Arizona also joined the Federal lawsuit.....citing possible store closures, layoffs, and price increases......since NEITHER of these corporations would confirm or deny such occurances would not happen in the future.

♥Surface of the Sun♥

On It · ‎03-15-2021

@Icegoddess We have Smith's which is owned by Kroger. If Kroger buys Albertson's, it has acquired its competition.

Kroger currently owns a number of brands in the Western part of the country including King Sooper in Colorado which was acquired in the late 1990's. It seems they are trying to gobble up the grocery suppliers out here first.

If you are interested in the root of the problem, search grocery stores owned by Kroger. Then search grocery stores owned by Albertson's. It is quite a long list that would be under one ownership.

World Traveler · ‎02-02-2015

@PhilaLady1 wrote:
Hi @Icegoddess

I know your question wasn't directed to me, sorry to jump in. My reusable grocery bag that I bought from Acme here in the mid Atlantic has printed on it Acme and Safeway, which I think both are owed by Albertsons.

In Central California Von's and Safeway are the same. Their bags acknowledge that.

Where I live In the Pacific NorthWest, I notice that the Von's/Safeway stores in California and Haggen are the same. Don't know which one is the "mother" company, but the stores and their "house" brand were/are the same.

In Washington there is Kroger/Fred Meyer too. FM has a lot of Kroger brands.