If you’ve been feeling like every trip to the grocery store is more expensive than the last, you’re not alone. Grocery prices are up by 13% compared to last year – and unfortunately, a proposed merger between Kroger and Albertsons might hike prices up even higher.

While you may have heard the media blame inflation for high grocery bills, the cause would be more aptly named "greedflation" – because greedy CEOs are responsible for raising prices higher and higher. The truth is, grocery giants like Kroger have been exploiting the economic environment to rake in the cash while Americans struggle to put food on the table. These greedy corporations don't see rising food prices the way the rest of us do. Kroger's CEO even bragged to investors that "a little bit of inflation is always good in our business."

Now, with more cash in hand, Kroger is about to use its windfall profits from raising prices during the pandemic to buy Albertsons for nearly $25 billion. This is bad news for the grocery industry: If the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) allows the merger to go through, just two companies (Kroger-Albertsons and Walmart) would control 70% or more of the market in 167 cities in the United States. After buying out their competition, Kroger will likely jack up prices even higher – maximizing profits while consumers have no choice but to shop at their stores.

But we still have a chance to prevent this, John: The Senate is holding hearings on the merger this month, so we’re calling on them to ask hard questions, hold greedy CEOs accountable, and stop them from getting away with this destructive and predatory merger – and strengthen our antitrust laws while they’re at it. Will you send a message to your senators and tell them to call on the FTC to block the anti-worker Kroger-Albertsons merger?

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This merger wouldn’t just mean higher prices. It would also mean fewer jobs and lower wages. As it stands right now, half of Albertsons stores are within three miles of a Kroger store – so there are undoubtedly store closures and large-scale layoffs on the horizon. And despite two-thirds of Kroger workers already struggling to afford basic necessities like food and housing, the newly formed megacorporation will likely squeeze wages even further if given the chance to do so.

This mega-merger is exactly the kind of deal that our antitrust laws were created to stop. The problem is, the laws haven’t been touched since telephones were invented – allowing too many destructive mergers like this one to slip through unchecked. The House already passed three antitrust modernization laws, but we need more support in the Senate to get them across the finish line.

That’s why we’re calling on our senators to oppose the Kroger-Albertsons merger during their hearings this month – and pass antitrust modernization bills as soon as possible to prevent future merger attempts like this one. It’s not going to be easy to stand up against these grocery giants and corporate lobbyists, but we can win this fight if everyone joins our team.

We’re counting on you to speak out today: Will you send a message to your senators now to oppose this anti-worker grocery merger – and every monopoly like this one?

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Thanks for sticking up for consumers.

– Team Civic Action



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