Information about the Aspen Ideas Festival is here. I am scheduled for a session, The American Wellness Paradox, currently scheduled from 11:00-11:50 a.m., at the East Lawn Tent. This will be a discussion with senior HHS policy advisor, Calley Means. Here’s the blurb on it: “Americans are spending more than ever on healthcare, supplements, wellness trends, and “clean eating,” yet rates of chronic disease and metabolic illness continue to climb. As skepticism fuels the rise of movements like MAHA, debates over what Americans should eat have become deeply cultural, political, and economic. Two influential voices with sharply different perspectives on nutrition and food science explore how food systems, farming practices, consumer culture, and the wellness industry collided to create one of the defining public health debates of our time.”
Good news: The Kroger-Albertson’s acquisition is not going to happen
A federal judge has said no to the proposed $25 billion purchase of Albertson’s by Kroger. This is a win for the Federal Trade Commission and for consumers faced with store closures and higher prices almost certainly expected as a result of the merger.
U.S. District Judge Adrienne Nelson agreed in the ruling that the merger was likely to remove direct competition between the two grocers, which would make it unlawful…Albertsons shares were down around 2.2% on Tuesday afternoon. Kroger shares were up around 5%.
I’ve written about the proposed merger in earlier posts.
- Kroger v. the Federal Trade Commission: Not a pretty story
- The proposed Kroger-Albertson’s merger: divestment consequences
- Kroger’s acquisition of Albertsons: What this means
A lot of money was at stake. Now things are geting really ugly.
Albertson’s is suing Kroger for not trying hard enough to get the merger through the FTC.
Kroger says this charge is baseless.
“This is clearly an attempt to deflect responsibility following Kroger’s written notification of Albertsons’ multiple breaches of the agreement, and to seek payment of the merger’s break fee, to which they are not entitled.
The cases are likely to go on and on. In the meantime, enjoy going to your local supermarket while you can.
