CINCINNATI, OH - In response to the FTC announcing its intent to sue to block the Kroger-Albertsons merger, Kroger put out the following statement.

It reads as follows:

Contrary to the FTC's statements, blocking Kroger's merger with Albertsons Companies will actually harm the very people the FTC purports to serve: America's consumers and workers.

Kroger's business model is to take costs out of the business and invest in lowering prices for customers. Kroger has reduced prices every year since 2003, resulting in $5 billion invested to lower prices and a 5 percent reduction in gross margin over this period. This business model is immediately applied to merger companies. Kroger has a proven track record of lowering prices so more customers benefit from fresh, affordable food, and our proposed merger with Albertsons will mean even lower prices and more choices for America's consumers.

The FTC's decision makes it more likely that America's consumers will see higher food prices and fewer grocery stores at a time when communities across the country are already facing high inflation and food deserts. In fact, this decision only strengthens larger, non-unionized retailers like Walmart, Costco, and Amazon by allowing them to further increase their overwhelming and growing dominance of the grocery industry.

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ANUK will continue to report on the story as it develops.