Hi,
The proposed megamerger of grocery store chains Kroger and Albertsons will
be a disaster, creating a grocery giant with the power to push food prices
even higher into the stratosphere.^1
In fact, unless this merger is stopped, just two massive corporations —
the new Kroger-Albertsons behemoth and Walmart — will control 70% of the
grocery market in 167 different cities. In some cities, they’d control
more than 90%!^2
They could jack up prices as high as they wanted, and consumers would have
no choice but to pay.
Here's the good news: The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has the power to
stop this deal, and FTC Chair Lina Khan has expressed major concerns about
the deal.^3 We've mobilized tens of thousands of supporters in opposition
to the Kroger-Albertsons merger, but with the final decision from the FTC
fast approaching, we need to turn up the heat now.
[ [link removed] ]Will you make a donation to Demand Progress Action and support our
work, including stopping the Kroger-Albertsons megamerger?
[ [link removed] ]Donate $10
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The lack of competition in the food industry has massively driven up food
prices.
Cargill and just three other agribusiness companies control about 70% of
the world's agriculture market.^4 Just four companies control most of the
beef, poultry, and pork processing in the U.S.^5 Brands like PepsiCo and
Nestle control the vast majority of the offerings found in U.S. grocery
stores.^6
This megamerger would make inflation worse and likely head off any
possibility of prices ever coming down.
Kroger is the second-largest grocer in the U.S., behind Walmart, and
Albertsons is fourth. Together, Kroger and Albertsons own about 5,000
stores, including stores operating as countless other brands, such as
Shaw's, Jewel, Safeway, Vons, Harris Teeter ... the list goes on and on.^7
So you may not even know you're actually shopping at Kroger or
Albertsons.^8
Pressure is growing on the FTC to block the deal, as state attorneys
general, labor unions, and consumer groups have all made their voices
heard. With your help, Demand Progress can turn up the heat even more by
alerting our nearly 1 million supporters across email and social media
about this rotten deal. Will you make a donation?
[ [link removed] ]Yes, I'll chip in $10 to Demand Progress Action to help
stop the Kroger-Albertsons merger, and push for other key reforms.
With gratitude for all that you do,
Tihi and the team at Demand Progress Action
[ [link removed] ]DONATE
Sources:
1. The American Prospect, "Proposed Kroger-Albertsons Merger Would Create
a Grocery Giant," [ [link removed] ]October 17, 2023.
2. Fast Company, "Why you should worry about the Kroger-Albertsons grocery
store merger," [ [link removed] ]October 19, 2023.
3. Supermarket News, "Former FTC policy director: Kroger, Albertsons
merger is facing 'a hurricane storm,'" [ [link removed] ]October 2, 2023.
4. Vox, "Prices at the supermarket keep rising. So do corporate profits."
[ [link removed] ]March 17, 2023.
5. PolitiFact, "'Big Four' meat packers are seeing record profits,"
[ [link removed] ]June 30, 2022.
6. The Guardian, "Revealed: the true extent of America's food monopolies,
and who pays the price," [ [link removed] ]July 14, 2021.
7. Instagram post by More Perfect Union, [ [link removed] ]October 20, 2022.
8. CNBC, "Kroger agrees to buy rival grocery company Albertsons for $24.6
billion," [ [link removed] ]October 14, 2022.
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