Lawyers for Washington state will have past grocery chain mergers – and their negative consequences – in mind when they go to court to block a proposed merger between Albertsons and Kroger. Albertsons and Kroger own more than 300 grocery stores in the state and control more than half of grocery sales there. They are trying to get the case dismissed, arguing a state court isn’t the proper venue to consider a nationwide ban. Albertsons and Kroger insist that their plan, including the sale of stores to C&S, will lower grocery prices and preserve competition. In 2016, Albertsons acquired a Haggen supermarket and then promptly closed an Albertsons store about a mile away in Birchwood.

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Persons: general's, Haggen, ”, Tina McKim, Bob Ferguson, Kroger, Brad Weber, Locke, Judge Marshall Ferguson, Ferguson, Weber, McKim, ” McKim, “, She’s Organizations: Albertsons, Kroger, Federal Trade Commission, S Wholesale Grocers, Safeway, Fighters, Democrat, King County Superior Court, Walmart, Costco, U.S, FTC, Associated Press Locations: Washington, Oregon, Colorado, Bellingham , Washington, Washington —, Bellingham's Birchwood, King County, Seattle , Washington, Dallas, Birchwood