Food Fight: FTC and Kroger in a Grocery Court Showdown 🛒
Earlier this week, Kroger and the Federal Trade Commission met to give their opening arguments on the legal battleground over the proposed Kroger-Albertsons buyout. In case you missed it, this purchase made headlines for being the largest grocery merger to date, with a $25 billion sale price and involving the second and fourth largest grocery retailers in the United States. The FTC believes this deal to be in violation of antitrust laws, and sued earlier this year in an attempt to prevent the purchase.
WY We Care: The only point that the defendant and the prosecution seem to agree on is that this sale will have significant impacts on consumer food prices. Kroger is taking the stance that it would lower prices, while the FTC argues that it will inevitably lead to price hikes. If Kroger wins this legal battle, there’s a good chance that the 16 Albertsons Companies stores located across Wyoming will be under new ownership with all new branding.