PHOENIX — A proposed merger between Kroger and Albertsons is turning heads, and shoppers don't seem to be happy about it.
Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes has hosted multiple listening sessions to hear from people in the community about how the process would impact them.
Raquel Teran, who is running as a Congressional candidate in District 3, doesn't think it's the best move for Arizona.
"It's bad for the consumer, it's bad for the worker and it's bad for the competition," she explained.
This merger poses three major concerns for her and the communities she hopes to represent, she said: Access to stores, employee jobs and prices.
"We all know when we have a monopoly, the people most affected are the low-income people, the people who are already struggling," she said.
Longtime industry worker Joe Fonseca said there doesn't seem to be a clear benefit.
"I really don't feel comfortable with this merger at all," he said. "I really can't see any benefit for the consumer, Kroger will say it's going to be better but tell me why, that's why I'm here."
Attorney General Kris Mayes is hosting open community hearings on the merger. So far, there hasn't been much support for the proposal. In fact, Mayes has been getting one question over and over again.
"Have you heard anyone speak out in favor of the merger at any of your meetings anywhere in Arizona?" Mayes shared, relating what she'd been asked "Essentially, the answer was no."
12News reached out to Kroger about any changes that might be associated with the proposed merger. The company provided the following statement:
“Our merger with Albertsons will enable us to build on our history and bring meaningful, measurable benefits to our customers, our associates and the communities we serve. As we have in past mergers, we will hold ourselves accountable to our customer commitments, including investing $500 million to lower prices, offering a broader selection of fresh products and delivering value without compromise through an expanded Our Brands portfolio. We will also invest an additional $1 billion to increase wages and expand our industry-leading benefits starting on Day one following close, and we expect to provide new and exciting career growth opportunities for many associates. This commitment builds on our track record of supporting associates, including the incremental $1.9 billion we have invested in wages and comprehensive benefits since 2018. Kroger will not lay off any frontline associates or close any stores, distribution centers or manufacturing facilities as a result of this merger. The Kroger Family of Companies is one of America’s largest unionized workforces and this merger also secures the long-term future of union jobs by establishing a more competitive alternative to large, non-union retailers."
The attorney general's office is in the midst of an anti-trust investigation into this merger.
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