How a grocery merger could expand a surveillance network

Similar privacy concerns were raised during Kroger’s earlier attempted merger with Albertsons, a much larger deal that courts blocked in late 2024 after the Federal Trade Commission and state attorneys general challenged it. AELP argues that the proposed merger with Giant Eagle is also deserving of scrutiny, because of the way it could significantly reduce options in places like Columbus, Ohio, and also because of Kroger’s buying patterns and incentives. They urge the FTC and Ohio attorney general to seek to block the merger, though experts have predicted they might not, both because of the relatively small size of the deal compared to Albertsons, and the Trump administration’s more open approach to settlement deals than the prior administration.“Buying bleach or yogurt now comes with the prospect of being scanned, tracked…