Tag: Retail

A consent order permitted Winn- Dixie's acquisition of 68 supermarkets and other assets from bankrupt Jitney-Jungle Stores of America, Inc. The order prohibits Winn-Dixie, among other things, from acquiring any interest in four Jitney-Jungle supermarkets located in the following areas: Niceville, Gulf Breeze, and Destin, Florida; as well as the Gulfport-Biloxi area of Mississippi.  in addition, for 10 years, Winn-Dixie is prohibited from entering into or enforcing any agreement that restricts the ability of any person to operate a supermarket in the location of a former Winn-Dixie store.

The Commission authorized a preliminary injunction action in federal court alleging that Kroger's proposed acquisition of 74 Winn-Dixie supermarkets in would substantially lessen competition in several markets near and in Fort Worth, Texas.  The parties soonafter abandoned their merger plans.

A consent order settled charges that Shaw's proposed acquisition of Star Markers, Inc. could eliminate supermarket competition and increase prices in the greater Boston metropolitan area. The consent order permits the acquisition and requires the divestiture of three Shaw supermarkets and seven Star markets in eight communities.

Final order requires Kroger and Fred Meyer Stores, Inc. to divest eight supermarkets to settle charges that the acquisition of Fred Meyer would increase concentration and decrease competition in seven cities in Arizona, Wyoming, and Utah. Under terms of the order, two Smith's Food & Drug Centers will be sold to Nash-Finch Company; one "City Market" will be sold to Albertson's Inc.; and five supermarkets (two "City Markets"; two Fry's, and one Smith's) will be sold to Fleming Companies, Inc.

A final order settled charges stemming from Kroger Company's acquisition of The John C. Groub Company. The order requires the divestiture of three supermarkets in Columbus and Madison, Indiana to Roundy's, Inc., one of the largest food wholesalers in the United States.

Order requires divestiture of 10 supermarkets in Maryland and Pennsylvania to settle antitrust concerns stemming from Ahold's acquisition of Giant Food Inc.

A consent order requires Albertson's to divest eight supermarkets in Montana and seven in Wyoming in order to settle FTC charges and maintain competitive grocery pricing in 11 communities following its acquisition of the Buttrey Food and Drug Store Company. Under the consent agreement, 13 of the supermarkets would be sold to Smith's Food and Drug Centers, Inc. and two supermarkets would be sold to Supervalu Holdings, Inc.

Final order settles allegations that Jitney-Jungle's acquisition of Delchamps, Inc. would substantially reduce competition among supermarket stores in the areas of Gulfport- Biloxi, Hattiesburg and Vicksburg, Mississippi. The consent order requires the divestiture of 10 supermarkets to Supervalu, Inc.

Staff authorized to file a motion for a preliminary injunction to block the proposed acquisition of Office Depot, 1nc. on grounds that the $4 billion acquisition would allow the combined firm to control prices for the sale of office supplies in numerous metropolitan areas in the United States. On June 30, 1997, the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia granted the Commission's motion for the injunction. Staples abandoned its acquisition plans in July 1997.

Consent order settles charges that the acquisition of The Stop & Shop Companies, Inc. would substantially reduce supermarket competition in 14 communities in New England. The order requires the divestiture of 30 supermarkets within 30 days to buyers who would operate the stores in competition with Ahold's "Edwards" supermarket chain.

Consent order settles charges that New Balance fixed and controlled the resale prices of its shoes in an effort to raise retail prices for its athletic footwear.  According to the complaint, New Balance entered into agreements with some of its retailers to restrict price competition, and threatened to terminate or suspend shipments to retailers who did not abide by the pricing restrictions.