Kroger countersues rival Albertsons after demise of $25 billion merger

Reuters

Tue, Mar 25, 2025, 7:35 AM 1 min read

(Reuters) -U.S. market concatenation Kroger countersued rival Albertsons connected Tuesday, escalating a ineligible combat betwixt the 2 companies pursuing the demise of their projected $25 cardinal merger that was blocked by courts successful December.

Albertsons terminated the bid to merge instantly aft the woody was blocked and sued Kroger, alleging a breach of declaration that led to the deal's demise.

The ceremonial termination ended a two-year effort by the market chains to combine. Regulators had noted that the woody would pb to higher prices for shoppers.

Albertsons was engaging successful a run with divestiture purchaser C&S Wholesale Grocers to prosecute its ain regulatory strategy, according to Kroger.

In December, Albertsons asked for billions of dollars successful damages on with a $600 cardinal termination fee. Kroger had called the claims baseless.

"As a effect of its misconduct, Albertsons is not entitled to the $600 cardinal termination interest ... nor is Albertsons entitled to the different damages it seeks," Kroger said.

Albertsons did not instantly respond to a petition for comment.

(Reporting by Ananya Mariam Rajesh successful Bengaluru and David Gaffen successful New York; Editing by Shounak Dasgupta)