Gallego Applauds FTC Kroger-Albertsons Lawsuit: ‘Corporations Shouldn’t Rake in Profits While Arizonans Suffer’
Gallego previously called on the FTC to oppose the acquisition, which—if not stopped—would devastate rural Arizona communities
PHOENIX – Today, Rep. Ruben Gallego (AZ-03) applauded the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) for announcing its lawsuit to block the merger of Kroger and Albertsons, which was set to be the largest supermarket merger in U.S. history.
Statement from Rep. Ruben Gallego (AZ-03):
“We shouldn’t allow billion-dollar corporations to rake in profits while Arizonans suffer from rising food costs. Allowing the merger between Kroger and Albertsons would be terrible for Arizona shoppers, workers, and rural communities – who already deal with existing food deserts. That’s wrong, so I pushed the FTC to stop this merger. I’m grateful they’re stepping up to block the acquisition.”
Last August, Rep. Gallego pushed FTC Chair Lina Khan to oppose the merger. In his letter to Chair Khan, Rep. Gallego stated he feared, “that, without competition in the grocery sector, large chains like the proposed Kroger-Albertsons conglomerate could monopolize entire regions of Arizona, then raise prices, close store fronts, and eliminate jobs.”
The Sierra Vista, Bisbee, Douglas, and Benson mayors all supported Rep. Gallego’s position.