Colorado Attorney General investigating Kroger/Albertson’s merger

COLORADO (KRDO) -- Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser has launched an investigation into the proposed merger between parent companies Kroger and Albertson's, who own King Soopers and Safeway stores respectively.

The investigation was announced Thursday and Friday, the King County Superior Court in Washington reviewed a motion filed by Weiser to block a $4 billion dividend payout by Albertson's until regulators can review the merger.

“I’ve got deep concerns about this merger between Kroger and Albertson's," Weiser said.

Some of the concerns Weiser said he is investigating are prices increasing for consumers, employees losing their jobs, and small business owners not having enough shelf space.

For context, the AG's office said it's standard practice for their office to investigate a large merger like this, alongside or independently from the Federal Trade Commission.

Ultimately, Weiser said their main goal is to determine whether the merger violates antitrust laws, both state and federal.

“The antitrust laws protect competition, protect consumers and protect workers. We have both the Colorado antitrust act as well as the federal antitrust laws that we’re charged with enforcing. We take that very seriously.”

CEOs from both companies have said the merger does not include any store closures, however, they did not rule out the selling of some locations to competitors.