A federal judge has temporarily halted a proposed merger between supermarket giants Kroger and Albertsons, an action that could scuttle the deal.
Kroger and Albertsons in 2022 proposed what would be the largest grocery store merger in U.S. history. But the Federal Trade Commission sued earlier this year, asking Nelson to block the $24.6 billion deal until an in-house administrative judge at the FTC could consider the merger’s implications.
The case may now move to the FTC, although Kroger and Albertsons have asked a different federal judge to block the in-house proceedings. Colorado and Washington are also trying to halt the merger in ongoing state trials. The judge in Washington was expected to release his opinion later Tuesday. But Kroger and Albertsons argued their merger would preserve consumer choice by allowing them to better compete against its growing rivals. In its testimony, Albertsons warned Nelson that it might have to lay off workers, close stores and even exit some markets if the merger weren't allowed to proceed.