Reuters reports the proposed merger between The Kroger Co. and Albertsons Cos. Inc. is paused until the Colorado District Court rules on a lawsuit seeking to block the deal.
“The trial is set to begin on Sept. 30, and my office looks forward to making the case that this merger will eliminate competition and impact food prices, jobs, and consumer choice,” Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser said in a statement.
In February, the Federal Trade Commission filed a suit to prevent the proposed merger — a $24.6 billion deal — saying that the merger is anticompetitive. The FTC also alleges the deal would lead to higher prices on groceries, lower-quality products and goods and less choices for consumers on where to shop for groceries.
Reuters reports that in March U.S. District Judge Adrienne Nelson set Aug. 26 as the start of a hearing on a preliminary injunction by the FTC to challenge the deal.
Earlier this month Kroger and Albertsons detailed the stores, distribution centers and plants it planned to sell to C&S Wholesale Grocers as part of the merger.
