Colorado Court Rejects Kroger-Albertsons Merger-Related Dismissal

Denver district court judge Andrew Luxen recently rejected Kroger and Albertsons' motion to dismiss a lawsuit filed by Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser against their merger, reports The Denver Post.

The ruling should now allow the state’s antitrust case to move forward, according to the report.

In Weiser’s lawsuit, he alleges that the proposed merger would violate antitrust provisions in Colorado law that prohibit transactions of this type that “may substantially lessen competition or tend to create a monopoly.”

Moreover, Weiser argued that the $24.6 billion merger would eliminate competition and harm shoppers, workers, and suppliers in the state.

Since the Federal Trade Commission, along with several states, sued to block the merger, Kroger and Albertsons issued statements claiming that blocking the transaction would actually harm consumers and workers. They also said they plan to fight the FTC’s decision in court. Full Story