Today, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) sued to block the controversial proposed Kroger-Albertsons merger, citing concerns that the ‘mega’ merger would lead to lower wages for workers and higher prices for consumers.

In response, Food & Water Watch Managing Director of Policy and Litigation Mitch Jones issued the following statement:

“A Kroger-Albertsons merger would spell disaster for American consumers and farmers alike. Already, a handful of huge corporations’ stranglehold on our food system means that consumers are paying too much for too little choice in supermarkets, and farmers and ranchers cannot get fair prices for their crops and livestock. We applaud the administration’s common-sense decision to challenge this egregious mega-merger plan.”

Food & Water Watch research into grocery sector consolidation details how growing market concentration reduces competition, and enables collusion and price fixing, leading to higher food prices for consumers and lower profits for farmers. Today, just four grocery retailers corner around 70 percent of the market. If the Kroger-Albertsons merger were to proceed, it would become the nation’s second largest grocery chain, capturing 22 percent of the national market.