SEATTLE: A judge blocked Kroger Co’s US$24.6bil acquisition of Albertsons Cos, finding the takeover would lessen competition for US grocery shoppers, in a ruling that marks a likely death knell for the deal.
In a decision filed in Oregon federal court on Tuesday, US District Judge Adrienne Nelson found in favour of the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC).
The agency had argued that the proposed tie-up violates US antitrust law and that a divestiture of hundreds of stores to C&S Wholesale Grocers Inc wouldn’t do enough to replace the lost competition.
...