We would all be better off with more competition, more choices and lower prices at our local grocery stores. Unfortunately, the proposed mega-merger of Kroger and Albertsons would make already higher prices even worse.
Thank goodness the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the attorneys general of many states, including Washington and Colorado, have filed lawsuits to block the merger. The FTC’s preliminary case recently wrapped up in Portland on Sept. 17, the day after the Washington state attorney general’s case began in Seattle .
What’s at stake in these lawsuits? One of the most important freedoms in our American economy – being able to choose where we buy what we need.
We are all different. For one person their choice of a store may be driven by lower prices, someone else a better selection of products or the fact that the store is nearby or provides better service. In many cases, we might go to several different stores for different products. Regardless, at the end of the day, the key point is that there is a choice. And that’s what drives competition between different businesses. If one store does not give you what you need, you can simply take your business somewhere else.