Federal Judge Temporarily Halts Kroger's $24.6 Billion Albertsons Merger, Granting FTC's Motion

Dec 10, 2024, 08:59 PM

A federal judge in Oregon, Adrienne Nelson, has temporarily halted Kroger's proposed $24.6 billion acquisition of rival grocery chain Albertsons by granting the Federal Trade Commission's motion for a preliminary injunction. The judge ruled that the merger would lessen competition for US grocery shoppers, citing antitrust concerns. This decision is a significant win for the FTC and its chair, Lina Khan, and could scuttle the deal, which would have been the largest supermarket merger in US history. Following the ruling, Kroger shares increased by 5.2%.