The state treasurer has written the FTC, objecting to the proposed merger of Kroger and Albertsons.

By The Herald Editorial Board

An effort to block the proposed merger of two of the nation’s largest grocery store chains was joined last week by the state treasurer’s office.

It’s a needed boost to the issue’s visibility and adds more voices against further consolidation of scores of supermarkets, affecting millions of shoppers in Washington state and the larger Northwest.

Washington state Treasurer Mike Pellicciotti and six fellow state treasurers last week sent a letter to the Federal Trade Commission, which is reviewing the sale under antitrust laws, opposing the proposed sale of the Albertsons chain to the Kroger chain for $24.6 million, seeking the federal agency’s careful consideration of the potential negative consequences, the Washington State Standard reported this week.

Seeking to compete nationally with Wal-Mart, Costco and Amazon, which operates Whole Foods stores, the two companies in total control about 13 percent of the U.S. market with about 5,000 stores in 48 states. In Washington state, Kroger owns and operates 114 Fred Meyer and QFC stores, while Albertsons operates 216 Safeway, Albertsons and Haggen stores.

https://www.heraldnet.com/opinion/editorial-grocery-chains-merger-would-hit-workers-shoppers/