Tag: Retail

The Commission intervened in the proposed $1.3 billion acquisition of Pathmark Stores by Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea (A&P), alleging the transaction would have reduced competition among grocery stores in the highly concentrated markets of Staten Island and Shirley, Long Island, New York. A&P operates stores under the A&P, A&P Super Foodmart, Food Basics, Food Emporium, Super Fresh, and Waldbaum’s banners. The Commission’s consent order required A&P to divest five supermarkets in Staten Island, and one supermarket in Shirley.

Ahold would be permitted to acquire Bruno's Supermarkets, Inc. under terms of a consent order, but would be required to divest two BI-LO supermarkets in Georgia -one Milledgeville, and one in Sandersville. The Commission's complaint charged that the acquisition as originally proposed would reduce competition in the retail sale of food and grocery items in supermarkets in the area and would eliminate direct competition between supermarkets owned and controlled by Ahold and those owned or controlled by Bruno's.

Penn National Gaming, Inc. agreed to sell a casino in Baton Rouge, Louisiana to settle charges that its acquisition of Argosy Gaming Company would create a monopoly for casino services in that area.  Penn National agreed to sell Argosy's casino to Columbia Sussex Corporation within four months of the order becoming final.

A consent order settled Commission charges that Wal-Mart's proposed acquisition of the largest supermarket chain in Puerto Rico, Supermercados Amigo, Inc., would eliminate competition between supercenters and club stores owned or controlled by Wal-Mart and supermarkets owned or controlled by Arnigo. Under the consent order, Wal-Mart must divest four Amigo supermarkets in Cidra, Ponce, Manati, and Vega Baja, Puerto Rico to Supermercados Maximo.