By Sam Silverstein and Peyton Bigora
Source: Grocery Dive
As Kroger and Albertsons seek government clearance to form a supersized grocery company, the extent to which the chains already overlap in markets across the U.S. looms as a key factor for regulators, community leaders and others evaluating the proposed merger.
With about 5,000 stores operating under some 50 banners between them, the two food retailers each have a strong presence in dozens of metropolitan areas across the country. But while their vast geographic reach raises questions about whether the companies’ combination would give them an unfair edge or enable them to better serve consumers, as they have promised, it also underscores the complexity of sizing up a national deal in a hyperlocal industry, analysts said.
