US judge blocks nearly $25bn Kroger-Albertsons grocery chain merger

Judge sides with FTC that merger would lead to higher prices and less bargaining leverage for union workers

A US judge blocked the pending $25bn merger of US grocery chains Kroger and Albertsons on Tuesday, siding with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) in a win for the Biden administration.

The FTC argued at a three-week trial in Portland, Oregon, that the merger would eliminate head-to-head competition between the top two traditional grocery chains, leading to higher prices for shoppers and reduced bargaining leverage for unionized workers.