Colorado judge halts Kroger-Albertsons merger

A Colorado judge issued an order temporarily blocking the proposed merger between Kroger BB #:100073 and Albertsons BB #:193326, according to Bloomberg News.

At a hearing in Denver July 25, Judge Andrew Luxen granted a preliminary injunction stopping the deal and canceled a hearing set for next month, according to the report. He will now oversee a two-week trial on the merits of the proposed merger starting Sept. 30.

The report said Kroger and Albertsons agreed to delay closing their proposed deal until after the court rules.

Colorado’s attorney general challenged the proposed $25 billion merger earlier this year, saying it would restrict competition in the state and be bad for Colorado shoppers, workers, and suppliers.

Kroger operates 148 King Soopers and City Market stores, and Albertsons operates 105 Safeway and Albertsons stores in Colorado.

In its divestiture plan released earlier this month, 91 stores, primarily Safeways, would be sold to C&S Wholesale Grocers, LLC BB #:137315.

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