Judge Temporarily Halts Merger of Kroger and Albertsons Grocery Stores

A Colorado district judge temporarily blocked a proposed merger between Kroger Co. and Albertsons Companies Inc. this week, placing the companies’ $24 billion merger plan in limbo pending a trial later this year that seeks to permanently stop the merger. The merger would be the largest merger of supermarket chains in U.S. history, according to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). Judge Andrew J. Luxen of the Denver District Court granted a temporary injunction on July 24, as a response to a lawsuit filed by Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser. Mr. Weiser filed suit earlier this year seeking to permanently block the merger on the grounds that it would harm competition by creating a monopoly that would negatively affect consumers by driving up the prices of food....