A federal judge and a state judge overseeing two separate cases have halted the proposed merger of supermarket giants Kroger and Albertsons, claiming the deal would drive up prices for customers.
A federal judge in Oregon blocked Kroger’s proposed $25 billion tie-up with Albertsons, ruling that the largest merger in US supermarket history would limit competition and harm consumers.
Turning two big supermarket companies into one even larger one could have harmed consumers and workers, the government said during its successful litigation.