Rep. Kim Schrier Reiterates Objections to Kroger-Albertsons Merger

Rep. Kim Schrier (D-WA) has serious misgivings about Kroger's multi-billion-dollar, temporarily stalled merger with a rival supermarket chain.

Schrier on Thursday convened a press conference in Issaquah to highlight her anti-merger activities. The presser was cohosted by Dalton Adams, a UFCW union steward.

Kroger announced in 2022 that it had designs on Albertsons, its chief competitor in Washington. This would entail a massive offload - over 100 Washington stores divested to C&S, an out-of-state wholesaler. That's to say nothing of the rest of the country.

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(Kroger is the parent company of Fred Meyer and QFC; Albertsons owns Safeway.)

Schrier was quick to excoriate the idea and hasn't let up since. Recently she penned the second of two letters calling on the Federal Trade Commission to intervene.

If approved, the merger would be the kiss of death to free and fair competition in Washington's grocery sector, Schrier says. (Outgoing Attorney General Bob Ferguson agrees.)

The merger also stands to inflame our food affordability crisis, according to Schrier.

"It would be devastating," she predicts, "for consumers who are already paying far too much for our groceries."

Schrier represents the largely agrarian 8th district and sat, in a previous Congress, on the House Agriculture Committee. She warns that family farmers in North Central Washington have much to lose if the merger goes through: "We are the apple capital of the world! Every store carries apples, and [farmers] are already being squeezed."

"Getting squeezed on prices means that many farms can't afford to stay open."

A Kroger spokesperson has offered the following comment:

Kroger joining with Albertsons will mean lower prices and more choices for more customers in more communities, higher wages and more industry-leading benefits for associates, securing union jobs and expanded opportunities for farmers and suppliers. The divestiture plan with C&S builds on these commitments by ensuring zero stores will close as a result of the merger, all frontline associates will remain employed, all existing collective bargaining agreements will continue, and associates will continue to receive industry-leading benefits alongside bargained-for wages. C&S's strong operational focus coupled with its experienced management team and financial resources will position it to successfully operate divested stores for years to come.

A three-term incumbent, Schrier is likely to prevail on Tuesday over Democratic challengers Keith Arnold and Imraan Siddiqi. While Schrier has always counseled pragmatism, Siddiqi is non-incrementalist, adhering strictly to progressive ideals; the Palestinian cause is particularly dear to him.