The U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon granted on December 10, 2024, the Federal Trade Commission’s request for a preliminary injunction to prevent Kroger Company from acquiring Albertsons Companies, Inc. in what would be the largest supermarket merger in U.S. history. The FTC challenged the $24.6 billion deal alongside a bipartisan group of nine state attorneys general.
In response to the district court’s order, Bureau of Competition Director Henry Liu issued the following statement:
“The FTC, along with our state partners, scored a major victory for the American people, successfully blocking Kroger’s acquisition of Albertsons.
This historic win protects millions of Americans across the country from higher prices for essential groceries—from milk, to bread, to eggs—ultimately allowing consumers to keep more money in their pockets. This victory has a direct, tangible impact on the lives of millions of Americans who shop at Kroger or Albertsons-owned grocery stores for their everyday needs, whether that’s a Fry’s in Arizona, a Vons in Southern California, or a Jewel-Osco in Illinois.
This is also a victory for thousands of hardworking union employees, protecting their hard-earned paychecks by ensuring Kroger and Albertsons continue to compete for workers through higher wages, better benefits, and improved working conditions.
I want to also congratulate all of the FTC staff, including the Mergers IV team, for their hard work on this case.”
