I just went grocery shopping the other day and it's a good thing I do that on an app now. 24oz box of cereal at Safeway was on sale for 7.99. The same box at target was 5.49. Un fortunately for me our target doesn't have a full grocery section but our grocery chains are gouging us without a merger.
Capitalism isn't about competition, it's about growth. Grow or die, kind of like cancer. That's why you see so many mergers; it eliminates competition.
Our local Safeway has gone noticeably downhill since they were bought out by Albertsons; I shudder to think what they'd be like if they swallowed Kroger too,
Also, growing up in Chicago, I used to think the name of the store was JewelOsco because they were always together.
All of our stores except one (Whole Foods) is owned by Kroger. I have to go 40 miles for a different company. We’re toast if they merge. It's awful right now.
A cursory check showed Kroger and Albertson's are the #2 and #4 owners of grocery stores in the USA. Wal-Mart is admittedly #1, but Target is actually #9 (#3 is Costco). Other lists sometimes put CVS and Amazon in higher ranks, usually dethroning Albertson's from the top #5 but not Kroger. Some lists also argued for putting Aldi and/or Trader Joe's in the top ten, but not the top 5.
Albertson's, which owns the Safeway by me, tends to be the most expensive in the area. The Giants are usually the cheapest (AHOLD DELHAIZE USA owns them, they're a Dutch company and #5). Kroger owns the Harris Teeters in the area which are cheaper than Safeway, pricier than Giant, and less convenient than either for me.
Albertsons owns Safeway(I think?) and Safeway is already really expensive! Every time I go in to get my prescriptions, I almost want to cry. Their sales are weird(like 'must buy 3' or whatever) and their generic is priced close to brand names at other grocery stores in my area.
Can't say that I would love these 2 merging at all!
I thought the FTC could just refuse a approve a merger, and it would go away. I didn't think the FTC had to sue? Does anyone know why there has to be a court case?
Whenever there's a mega-merger in grocery and someone raises the question of decreased competition, the chains that want to merge usually say something like, Don't worry. In individual markets where the effect on competition would be egregious, we'll spin off enough stores to make sure that doesn't happen.
Only the stores that get spun off are invariably the unprofitable or marginally profitable ones, and these are often in poorer neighborhoods. Whoever buys these stores often can't make a go of them, and they end up getting sold right back to the newly merged giant company, at fire-sale prices. I'm so glad the FTC isn't falling for that one again.
I live in a rural town where the only grocery stores are owned by either Albertsons or Kroger. I suspect that's true of lots of towns. We don't have Target or Walmart or Costco for them to compete with. They also own the 2 biggest gas stations in town. I've been up at arms about this merger since they first announced it.
There's Bashas (and Food City) still in AZ. Sprouts has like 6 or 7 stores here in Tucson. And Whole Paycheck of course. It kinda sucks, because I actually like my local Kroger store (Frys Food); Albertsons has gone way downhill over the last ten years or so.
I.E. This is Biden’s FTC taking action to challenge this monopolistic merger. President Biden should get some g’damn credit. The name “Biden” should appear at least once in the headline and post, right? This ain’t the FTFNYT!
Capitalism doesn't like competition. It loves monopoly: monopolies are what's best for the capitalist at the top, raking (not just skimming) off profits. But they're terrible for *commerce*, which is completely distinct, as an activity, from the economic system of capitalism. We've had commerce since the first time someone swapped three eggs for an armful of corn, it comes with specialization and allows us to not have to do every goddamned thing ourselves. Capitalism, however, doesn't care about commerce. It cares about profit, and it doesn't care where or how that profit is acquired so long as the returns always increase. This is killing commerce, bleeding people dry at the grocery store, and building planes that fall apart midair.
Thank you, FTC. That's why we need government.
I just went grocery shopping the other day and it's a good thing I do that on an app now. 24oz box of cereal at Safeway was on sale for 7.99. The same box at target was 5.49. Un fortunately for me our target doesn't have a full grocery section but our grocery chains are gouging us without a merger.
Capitalism isn't about competition, it's about growth. Grow or die, kind of like cancer. That's why you see so many mergers; it eliminates competition.
I shudder to think of what a second Trump presidency would do to federal organizations like the FTC.
Our local Safeway has gone noticeably downhill since they were bought out by Albertsons; I shudder to think what they'd be like if they swallowed Kroger too,
Also, growing up in Chicago, I used to think the name of the store was JewelOsco because they were always together.
All of our stores except one (Whole Foods) is owned by Kroger. I have to go 40 miles for a different company. We’re toast if they merge. It's awful right now.
If they merge, it’s basically that or Costco. Pretty much statewide I think. we have a senator that is taking on this battle.
A cursory check showed Kroger and Albertson's are the #2 and #4 owners of grocery stores in the USA. Wal-Mart is admittedly #1, but Target is actually #9 (#3 is Costco). Other lists sometimes put CVS and Amazon in higher ranks, usually dethroning Albertson's from the top #5 but not Kroger. Some lists also argued for putting Aldi and/or Trader Joe's in the top ten, but not the top 5.
Albertson's, which owns the Safeway by me, tends to be the most expensive in the area. The Giants are usually the cheapest (AHOLD DELHAIZE USA owns them, they're a Dutch company and #5). Kroger owns the Harris Teeters in the area which are cheaper than Safeway, pricier than Giant, and less convenient than either for me.
Yep. Smells like a monopoly to me.
Albertsons owns Safeway(I think?) and Safeway is already really expensive! Every time I go in to get my prescriptions, I almost want to cry. Their sales are weird(like 'must buy 3' or whatever) and their generic is priced close to brand names at other grocery stores in my area.
Can't say that I would love these 2 merging at all!
I thought the FTC could just refuse a approve a merger, and it would go away. I didn't think the FTC had to sue? Does anyone know why there has to be a court case?
Whenever there's a mega-merger in grocery and someone raises the question of decreased competition, the chains that want to merge usually say something like, Don't worry. In individual markets where the effect on competition would be egregious, we'll spin off enough stores to make sure that doesn't happen.
Only the stores that get spun off are invariably the unprofitable or marginally profitable ones, and these are often in poorer neighborhoods. Whoever buys these stores often can't make a go of them, and they end up getting sold right back to the newly merged giant company, at fire-sale prices. I'm so glad the FTC isn't falling for that one again.
Wall Street sez bleed 'em dry. This enshittification nonsense has to be stopped. Time for some serious anti-trust action.
I live in a rural town where the only grocery stores are owned by either Albertsons or Kroger. I suspect that's true of lots of towns. We don't have Target or Walmart or Costco for them to compete with. They also own the 2 biggest gas stations in town. I've been up at arms about this merger since they first announced it.
For years Arizona had one of the most competitive grocery markets in the country. They're all gone now, just Albertsons and Frys (Kroger) remain.
There's Bashas (and Food City) still in AZ. Sprouts has like 6 or 7 stores here in Tucson. And Whole Paycheck of course. It kinda sucks, because I actually like my local Kroger store (Frys Food); Albertsons has gone way downhill over the last ten years or so.
4 of my nearest grocery stores are Albertsons or Kroger.
Me too. This merger was/is expected to close at least one of them.
Whar Biden?
I.E. This is Biden’s FTC taking action to challenge this monopolistic merger. President Biden should get some g’damn credit. The name “Biden” should appear at least once in the headline and post, right? This ain’t the FTFNYT!
Capitalism doesn't like competition. It loves monopoly: monopolies are what's best for the capitalist at the top, raking (not just skimming) off profits. But they're terrible for *commerce*, which is completely distinct, as an activity, from the economic system of capitalism. We've had commerce since the first time someone swapped three eggs for an armful of corn, it comes with specialization and allows us to not have to do every goddamned thing ourselves. Capitalism, however, doesn't care about commerce. It cares about profit, and it doesn't care where or how that profit is acquired so long as the returns always increase. This is killing commerce, bleeding people dry at the grocery store, and building planes that fall apart midair.
Capitalism fans don’t want to recognize that the ultimate, inevitable end of an unfettered “free market” is the monopoly.