BOISE, ID - Though the gloves have not completely come off, it looks as though temperatures between Haggen and Albertsons are beginning to scale upwards.

As we previously reported, Haggen announced yesterday that it has filed a $1 billion lawsuit against the retail chain it acquired several stores from in January of this year. Now the San Gabriel Valley Tribune reports that Albertsons has come back to clarify that it will not sit quietly as these allegations are made.

“The allegations contained in the Haggen complaint  are completely without merit and we will vigorously defend ourselves in court,” Albertsons said, according to the report. “Albertsons has not engaged in anticompetitive or inappropriate practices as alleged by Haggen. The divestiture of stores to Haggen followed the process determined by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) order.”

Albertsons’ statement continues by attributing the claims Haggen has made to Albertsons’ lawsuit filed last month, in which it was seeking just over $40 million for inventory it said Haggen had never paid. As we previously reported, Haggen stated at the time that it had additional grievances it would be countering that lawsuit with.

“Rather than paying the amounts owing, Haggen responded by filing this lawsuit against us in an attempt to deflect attention from their failure to comply with basic contractual obligations,” the company stated, according to the report.

Neither side’s claims have been proven as both cases are in their beginning stages, so it remains unclear whether one or both are in the right.

AndNowUKnow will continue to report on this story as it develops.

Albertsons Haggen