'Enough is enough': Grocery store employees protest potential Kroger, Albertsons merger

PORTLAND, Ore. — Major supermarket chains Albertsons and Kroger were in a Portland federal court Monday, defending their plan to merge against a Federal Trade Commission (FTC) that’s trying to block it. The FTC filed a lawsuit in Oregon back in February.

The more than $24 billion deal — the largest proposed merger in U.S. history — has been in the works for years. The chains first made the announcement back in October of 2022, saying a merger would lower prices and help them compete with larger stores like Walmart and Costco.

Many employees of local stores aren’t sold on the idea, and protested outside the courthouse Monday morning.

“Enough is enough, we can no longer stand by and allow corporate greed that puts profit before people,” one employee protestor said.

Opening statements ended a little past noon Monday. Afterward, the judge heard from witnesses that were cross-examined by the FTC. There are expected to be about 40 witnesses, including the CEOs of each company.

The FTC argues that the merger would eliminate competition, increase prices and lower employee wages. 

“Already Americans pay too high grocery prices, and if competition is removed from this merger then prices could go even further,” said Douglas Farrar with the FTC. 

“That’s going to be real trouble, because a lot of us are on fixed incomes — we can’t afford higher prices right now,” said Susan Guardipee, who shops at a Portland Fred Meyer location owned by Kroger.

If the deal goes through, Kroger and Albertsons have already said they will sell dozens of Safeway, Albertsons and QFC stores in Oregon and Washington to a third company while consolidating the rest.

“It’s very confusing. The only thing I’m really concerned about is closing stores close to us, especially (for) those who are disabled and having a hard time walking,” said Guardipee.

It’s now up to a federal judge to decide whether to grant the FTC’s request for a delay as federal regulators continue to fight the merge.

“What we’re focused on right now is winning this case and getting the (preliminary injunction) so we can move forward with our in-house court to challenge the merger in full,” said Farrar.

Kroger said in a statement shared with the Associated Press that the merger would help secure union jobs. The company said it has added 100,000 union jobs since 2012.

If a judge grants the FTC’s request for a delay, the grocery store chains could appeal, which could take a year or more. We won’t know if that will happen for about another three weeks. Monday was just day one of the hearing.