Announced Action(s) for July 28, 1999

Applications for approval of transactions: The FTC has received applications for approval of transactions from the following. The FTC is seeking public comments on the applications for 30 days, until August 26, 1999.

Certified Foods of California has petitioned the FTC for approval to divest Albertson's Store No. 1650 operating under the "Albertson's" trade name in Santa Ana, California, to SuperCenter, rather than Rodd Mart. A June 1999 consent agreement settled charges that Albertson's acquisition of American Stores would substantially lessen supermarket competition in California, Nevada and New Mexico. Under the consent agreement, the companies must sell 104 Albertson's supermarkets, 40 American Stores' supermarkets, three Albertson's sites, and two American Stores' sites in 57 local markets to Commission-approved buyers. Certified Grocers -- a food wholesaler that does not operate many corporate-owned stores -- was approved to purchase 31 stores, primarily in

Southern California. Certified intends to transfer most of these stores to experienced operators, and under the terms of the consent agreement, is required to obtain the FTC's prior approval of specific buyers for the stores to be acquired by Certified Grocers, if it sells the stores within three years after it acquired them to any buyers other than those listed in the consent agreement. Certified also has requested that the FTC eliminate, or grant early termination of, the 30-day comment period. If the Commission grants Certified's request, the comment period will end earlier than the date listed above. (FTC File No. 981 0339; Staff contact is Daniel P. Ducore, 202-326-2526.)

Certified Foods of California has also petitioned the FTC for approval to divest Lucky Store No. 286, at 740 Moorpark Ave., Thousand Oaks, California, to a corporate entity, Ziff Family Markets, Inc., formed by Ronald Ziff. (Ronald Ziff, not the corporate entity, Ziff Family Markets, is the pre-approved buyer named in the June 1999 consent agreement.) Certified also has requested that the FTC eliminate, or grant early termination of, the 30-day comment period. The Commission has granted Certified's request and has shortened the comment period to ten days. The comment period will end August 6, 1999. (FTC File No. 981 0339; Staff contact is Daniel P. Ducore, 202-326-2526.)

Comments on the two applications to divest should be addressed to the FTC, Office of the Secretary, 600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20580.

Copies of the petitions are available from the FTC's web site at http://www.ftc.gov and also from the FTC's Consumer Response Center, Room 130, 600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20580; 202-FTC-HELP (202-382-4357); TDD for the hearing impaired 1-866-653-4261. To find out the latest news as it is announced, call the FTC NewsPhone recording at 202-326-2710.