SC Alaska News

Following the decision of Albertsons to withdraw from a proposed $24.6 billion merger with Kroger, Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan have expressed their approval. The merger was halted after judges in Oregon and Washington blocked it, citing potential harm to Alaskan consumers.

Senator Murkowski stated, "I have been working with the delegation for over a year to amplify the justified concerns Alaskans have about this merger, and I’m pleased that the courts have now recognized what we knew, that it would have imposed significant harms on Alaskans. That Albertsons has now backed out is evidence that this was a bad idea from the start." She described the outcome as "a victory for Alaskans seeking affordable and accessible groceries for their families."

Senator Sullivan added his appreciation for the court's intervention: “Many Alaskans were concerned about this merger resulting in grocery store closures and higher prices in Alaska, especially as our state already faces some of the highest prices for food and basic goods in the country." He noted that both he and Senator Murkowski had urged the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to conduct a thorough analysis of the merger's potential impact on competition and pricing. "The FTC found that the merger would likely reduce competition and raise prices—putting further strain on working families in our state," Sullivan said. "The courts agreed, which is good news for our state.”

Previously, Senators Murkowski and Sullivan had sent a letter to Lina Khan, Commissioner of the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC), outlining their concerns regarding consumer prices, food security, and employee contracts in Alaska.

As part of its initial plans for the merger, Kroger had announced an agreement involving a $1.9 billion divestiture which included selling 14 out of 35 Carrs-Safeway stores owned by Albertsons in Alaska to C&S Wholesale LLC.