Kroger’s acquisition of Albertsons Companies could further exacerbate income inequality through job losses and eroding wages at a time of high inflation, a group of the retailers’ biggest unions and antitrust experts wrote in a letter seen by Reuters on Thursday.
“In many markets across the country, grocery competition would cease, likely resulting in employee layoffs and higher prices,” they wrote in a letter addressed to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) chairwoman Lina Khan, urging the agency to block the deal.
Related: Experts Warn Kroger-Albertsons Deal May Cause Food Desserts
“The merger should be blocked, as it would harm workers, consumers and communities,” said the United Food & Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 400, who authored the letter.
Twenty-six organizations undersigned the message, including the American Economic Liberties Project, Center for Economic and Policy Research, along with seven UFCW local chapters representing more than 100,000 Kroger and Albertsons’ workers.
