Completion time	Zip Code 	Comments
3/28/23 18:43:52	85748	"I'm on a fixed income and really hope the merger can be blocked. I think prices would go up, there would be jobs lost, and more grocery stores would likely close as a result of the merger. I really hope Kroger and Albertsons do not merge, and will continue to operate as separate companies for these reasons. Thank you."
3/28/23 19:24:52	85719	"Diane Stocum Please do not allow the merger.  It will impact the poor and marginalized greatly resulting in more food insecurity.  There are folks who are quite familiar with a certain store.  That store may be one due to close, making it very difficult for some to cope.  They may feel the pinch to where they cannot meet their daily needs and  may give up all together.  Food insecurity will rise to an all high rates if folks cannot get what they need.  As you're all aware, Food Banks can not provide quality foods.  They can only give out what's donated, not giving folks a choise as to what they need ."
3/28/23 19:26:29	85719	I really fear food prices will drastically increase  making it impossible for me to shop.  I use many stores to complete my monthly shopping and really fear I won't have that option
3/29/23 12:10:55	85653	"I am against this Kroger/Albertsons merger because it is bad for consumers. If this merger is approved then that means that only  Walmart and Kroger will be the only grocery markets because Bashas won’t be able to compete at all. This will set up a monopoly for Kroger. Right there are only three major grocery store chains in Tucson and they are Walmart, Fry’s, and Basha’s and just a few other smaller stores. This proposed merger is very bad for consumers and it is unfair for consumers and it will raise prices on goods. Thank you"
3/29/23 15:44:40	85622	"The merger of Krieger and Albertsons creates a singular source for groceries in the  Sahaurita/ Green Valley communities.  The merger creates a monopoly on service in this defined area, definitely requiring regulatory oversight  to prevent consumer abuses."
3/29/23 16:14:03	85120	"This merger would leave my community of nearly 45k with only 2 grocery brands. Prices will grow up, Kroger and Walmart will continue to monopolize, and families will not be able to afford even the basic necessities, making inflation that much worse. Unfettered capitalism like this is nothing but cronyism."
3/29/23 17:38:15	86409	I hate it. I don't want to lose my job. I think it won't work because Albertsons prioritizes customer experience experience while every smiths I've been to has one cashier and a line miles long
3/30/23 6:41:47	85713	"1)	This proposed merger would put 32 supermarkets under the same ownership, some will undoubtedly be closed. Would decrease competition and increase prices. Company terminology used: Plans, expects and approximately to describe the effects of the merger - that prices may not increase, and services may not decrease. 2)	Consolidation of grocery stores under this monopoly would endanger vulnerable communities, create food deserts, loss of independent local stores resulting in some communities having no grocery store.  3)	Growers and suppliers will have no other choice than to take whatever contract this monopoly of grocers offers with a take it or leave it attitude.  4)	4 grocery companies accounted for 70% of the sales in the US last year. This merger will also be a big win for private equity firms (like Cerberus, Vanguard, and Apollo) who control the money and will benefit from this merger and demand a high profit for the investors at the expense of our local people, stores, and communities.  Cardenas Markets In June 2022, it was announced that KKR would sell Cardenas to funds affiliated with Apollo Global Management for an undisclosed amount. Was bought last year showing a connection to buying out a local store, closing it and turning it into an Auto Zone. Buying out competitors, closing the store prior to the merger. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and State Attorney Generals need to reject this proposed merger creating a food monopoly. I was in attendance at the 03/28/2023 meeting."
3/30/23 10:12:32	86409	We need to break up and not allow these large companies.  Do not allow this merger
3/30/23 10:13:00	86409	"The merger I think is a good thing and can make the companies both efficient and more profitable. in turn while there is still a lot of competition, they will continue to have prices that reflect the savings. At least that is the idea!"
3/30/23 10:19:15	86409	"This merger will make 3 out of 5 grocery stores in our area owned by the same company. The two remaining stores are Basha's and Walmart super center, neither of which sell fuel. The merger may not be a bad thing, but it certainly lends itself to becoming a monopoly, driving prices higher with little competition.  Kingman is already limited in its options, so this merger does raise significant concerns, especially since the 'store brand' of items will now all be the same."
3/30/23 10:26:36	86401	"Where’s the competition? We only have 4 grocery stores here in Kingman. Smiths, Bash’s and 2 Safeways. Where’s the competition?"
3/30/23 10:46:28	86401	"In any business that takes a monopoly, there is always a chance for increased prices. At one time, Bell telephone services had to get split because of that monopoly. With this merger, it concerns me that one company will have control of one of our most important commodities, food. I do not agree with this merger."
3/30/23 10:48:25	86442	Good luck to them.. I don't foresee any issues worth wasting time on.
3/30/23 11:03:40	86401	This merger sounds like a monopoly to me of the giant Kroger brand of stores.  What will happen within our small Kingman community for choice of grocery stores?
3/30/23 11:18:21	85541	Ever-growing large corporations do not benefit consumers. Kroger and Albertsons are the 2 largest grocery chains in the US.  Letting them merge will drive up food costs for all Americans. Stop them! Let them compete for our money.
3/30/23 11:26:44	86401	"Unfortunately, we have 4 grocery stores in our little town of Kingman.  Two Safeway's, Smiths, and Bashas.  This would limit us to only two brand choices which would make shopping that much more difficult.  I oppose this merger."
3/30/23 11:30:38	86409	Please don’t support this merger. We already have limited resources and prices continue to rise.
3/30/23 11:34:35	86401	Please do not allow this merger. We need more choices and competition and this would be a large monopoly that will do us a disservice. 
3/30/23 11:43:12	86401	"If this type of merger of these two companies helps the consumer in the long run, I am all for it."
3/30/23 11:58:20	86409	I really hope they don’t. I appreciate the sales at each & believe they need to be kept separate for competition!  I also prefer being able to shop both store brands for price & quality!
3/30/23 12:17:57	86401	Unless they engage in price fixing I don’t see why we can’t keep both chains in Kingman. They are quite different in terms of offerings and pricing. Just don’t turn them all into Safeway. 
3/30/23 12:23:38	86401	I believe the merger would not be in my cities best interest because competition will be almost eliminated if a merger occurs and one or more of the local grocery stores (Safeway and Smith's) are closed as a result of cost reduction after the merger.
3/30/23 12:26:39	86403	"I'm in Lake Havasu City, where we have a Safeway and Albertsons (I shop at the latter). It makes no difference to me which store is left after the merger, but closing both of them would leave me Smith's or Basha's, which are much farther from my office and home. We don't have a lot of choice in rural Arizona as it is, but that's all we ask for -- a choice when it comes to grocery shopping. "
3/30/23 13:13:54	86401	"This is a terrible plan! We have two Safeway locations and one smiths all located within in 2 miles. We hate the Kroger brand and customer service. We hate Walmart and this leaves us with Bashas. They are great but grossly inadequate. I can see Smiths closing the two Safeway stores leaving us down to one store to shop. This is clearly monopolistic and to good for residents of any smaller medium size community! It benefits only Kroger. If another company was making the purchase, I would be satisfied. But this action by Kroger is terrible for the public."
3/30/23 13:15:03	86409	I see this as a positive move.  Our local Kroger Store is in desperate need of a remodel.  Combing resources could lend to improved quality of products & shopping experiences.  Bashes did this recently
3/30/23 14:01:11	86409	My major concern is the possible closing of our current stores.  We have 2 Safeways and 1 Smiths.  I shop at at them all.  They each carry different item and have different pricing.  
3/30/23 14:31:44	86426	I am in favor of the merger as it will provide increased bargaining power which can lead to lower prices.  I have been a life long Kroger shopper and prefer the vast majority of their products over other grocery chains.
3/30/23 15:01:57	86401	To many companies buying out each other it's ridiculous... What's going to happen to all the employees and I like they way things are why fix something that's not broke   
3/30/23 15:16:13	86401	I am looking forward to the merger.  I think it will be a good thing.  I shop at the stores in question and appreciate the quality and customer service both brands have had over the years.  In Kingman the merger will force new grocery stores to come in and create variety and jobs that we desperately need.  I hope other grocery/specialty food stores will come instead of Walmart or Dollar General type stores. 
3/30/23 15:18:38	86426	I believe allowing this merger is a mistake not only for the jobs that could be lost due to stores having to be closed but also the lack of choices when it comes to shopping. This company will have a strangle hold on the grocery business and basically ask for what prices they want. 
3/30/23 15:18:56	86401	I am just concerned that the merger will allow the cost of food to be even higher than it already is.
3/30/23 15:30:39	86404	"On Lake Havasu City this merger would leave us with just one competitor Basha's, which is owned by Raley's pit of CA.  Grocery pricing could become non competitive if Kroger owned three stores in Havasu.  Additionally would the merger leave the three stores we now have still open.  It appears tge Safeway, Albertsons, and Smiths are busy most of the time.  "
3/30/23 15:45:11	86401	I think it’s a great idea . Kroger is a good company . Have been shopping with them many years. Never a problem or complaint.
3/30/23 16:08:53	86406	"In our community we have an Albertson's, Safeway, Bashas, Food City, & Smiths (besides Walmart).  Love Alberson's and Bashas..."
3/30/23 16:41:12	85541	I am not in favor of the merger of Albertsons/Safeway with Kroger.  It would eliminate a competitive market and give consumers fewer choices and place too much control of a very intregal part of most people’s daily life in the hands of one corporation. 
3/30/23 16:45:53	86406	I really like Smith's  (Kroger) and see no issue with them merging.
3/30/23 17:51:58	86413	"Another merger, less choices for the consumers, control of the market for higher profits. The public gets screwed over again with higher prices while CEOs gets richer. How does this merger benefit the public? They'll most likely close stores, lay off employees, and cause more hardship. "
3/30/23 19:03:04	86409	"We have 3 grocery stores on one street. Two of them are already owned by one company, this sale would make 3. There is only one other store in town besides WalMart. Will they close store giving us less selection?"
3/30/23 19:07:26	86426	"We need both Albertson's-Safeway and Kroger's. We live in a rural area and need competition to ensure we have a variety of nutritious foods and  we have competitive prices. Also we need several locations around our area, not just one or two stores."
3/30/23 20:10:30	85042	Allowing this to go through will limit the number of grocery stores to shop at.  This would allow Kroger to increase prices on everyday needs for families across Arizona.  It would also push out smaller chain grocery stores.  We cannot allow this mega merger to happen.
3/30/23 20:21:43	86409	Wouldn't it be a monopoly?. Thank God we have bashes. You should be going after the hay farmers and local feed stores for gouging hay prices.
3/30/23 21:31:25	86442	Both are great store. I used to shop Smiths 80% of the time however I've switched doing my main shopping at Safeway because they seem to have better prices and better sales on things I buy. Also the Safeway app is more user friendly than Smiths. I just hope Kroger doesn't change Safeway to be a Smiths!s
3/30/23 23:26:43	86409	"I'm perfectly fine with the purchase, with the caviat that the Kroger stores do not adopt the Albertson's price gouging. The same items from Smith's, for example, are far less expensive than from a Safeway. "
3/31/23 5:54:10	86409	"I do not support this merger for obvious reasons. I live walking distance to a Safeway (the ""Old Safeway"") and Smith's; I enjoy being able to find good deals and different store-brand products between the two stores. I also can see that there WILL be job losses to Kingman in this merger: Two Safeways and a Smith's - which two stores will lose the consolidation lottery? Whose households will be impacted? How much state tax revenue will Arizona lose when people are forced to take lower paying jobs, or decide to retire because it's not worth looking for work? And sales tax revenue - with fewer choices and the impact of lower paying jobs, people will be forced to shop elsewhere."
3/31/23 9:48:48	85614	"I am in my 70s, and while I have always been careful of how I spend my grocery dollars, it is more challenging now that I’m on a fixed income.  I am familiar with Kroger’s products and I’m not a fan.  Fry’s was a much better store before Kroger bought them out.  This new proposal is a prime example of capitalism run amok — the very thing the anti-trust laws were created to guard against.  I hope there is a way to stop this merger, but I’m not optimistic.  Big business does whatever it damn well pleases in this country these days.  But this does not bode well for the future — we all buy groceries, and a monopoly will make certain that we all pay higher prices. Jeni K. Foster Green Valley, AZ (Snowbird) Eugene, OR (Resident)"
3/31/23 10:21:02	86406	"Opposed. I live in Lake Havasu City. There is 1 of each: Smiths, Safeway, Albertsons, Bashas, & Food City. The merging of the first 3 would impact the competition. That would have a negative effect on availability of product and cost.  There is also the possibility of the closure of at least 1 of the first 3 listed stores. With few available jobs in our city outside of the service industry, the loss of employment would have a devastating effect on the local economy."
3/31/23 15:33:33	86401	"The merger will go through and there is not really thing one we can do about it. I do wish our town would invite other markets, such as Trader Joes or Whole Foods to come in."
3/31/23 15:37:38	86406	This merger would essentially give us fewer choices and control prices.  We currently have a Kroeger (Smiths)  Albertsons offer a different selection of brands.  I sincerely hope this attempt is twarted and leave us our choices. 
3/31/23 23:13:23	86401	As long as they can upgrade the crap produce they deliver to Kingman. 
4/1/23 8:53:02	86401	"I believe this merger will have a negative effect on my community as this effects 2 of the 4 grocery store brands here in Kingman. Of the 5 grocery stores in town, 3 of them will now be the same company and that leads to less competition and higher costs for us consumers. I would hope this merger could be halted. "
4/1/23 10:14:00	86401	I think this is a bad idea. We have only 2 markets in Kingman. One being a Smiths and the other a Safeway. There will not be any competition. So in my eyes this could be considered a monopoly. Please do not let them merge. 
4/1/23 12:18:57	86401	Every grocery store in my town (Kingman az) will be owned by the same company now (with the exception of Walmart) what will be the motivation for the stores to keep the prices low when they have no competition ! The next closest town is 45 minutes away 
4/1/23 18:36:44	85297	"When I first moved to Arizona, I worked for Kroger/ Fry’s. I quit when Kroger announced it would be running community-based clinical trial sites.  I know it sounds implausible, but would you please thoroughly investigate the population health genomics initiatives in cities and counties around the country?  In May 2013 UCSF held the UCSF OME Summit. Dr. Francis Collins, Dr. Susan Desmond-Hellmann (then UCSF Chancellor), the Governor of California, Anne Wojcicki of 23andme and Mark Zuckerberg of Facebook and the Chan-Zuckerberg Initiative (whose wife Dr. Priscilla Chan is a pediatrician connected to UCSF) were all in attendance and they designed precision medicine pilot projects.  In December 2013 Dr. Desmond-Hellmann announced she was becoming the CEO of The Gates Foundation. Please check in with Dr. Maria Raven at UCSF to ask about waivers of informed consent in the implementation of the precision medicine pilots in NYC and NYS. She was responsible for implementing them there- from California.  If Kroger and Albertsons join forces, how would population health and precision medicine and precision health demonstration projects be implemented here in Arizona? Please ask Carmen Heredia and her husband and Mayors around Arizona and the Governor of Arizona directly. Please look at the Havasupai tribe’s blood lawsuits and follow up with Munger Tolles. The firm is representing the children and adolescents  of the Havasupai tribe on a  pro bono basis. Please ask about the women’s health initiatives at The Gates Foundation and Pivotal Ventures, especially around targeting individuals for clinical trials in Alzheimer’s and neurodegeneration research, generally.  I say no to the merger. Thank you."
4/2/23 10:48:43	86401	"This WILL create a monopoly in groceries for the people in rural communities.  I am not 'anti' either of these companies.  But I do not want one company cornering where I shop.  I can not think of one reason why this is good for the citizen's of Arizona.  Its good for the companies involved, and their shareholders.  This is a totally California thing to do.  "
4/3/23 22:50:29	85745	"Regarding the potential merger of Kroger with Albertsons: it is my opinion that this would be deleterious to the community. Free market competition is intended to prevent monopolies of things like the food supply and induce natural price controls, and I'm concerned that this merger would provide Kroger with something close to a monopoly on our local grocery options. As you mentioned, this would leave the only competition as Bashas', along with more specialized stores like Trader Joes, Whole Foods and Natural Grocers. If the merger were to go through, I would expect that the next goal of Kroger would be to acquire Bashas', giving them a virtual monopoly over everyday food supply within our community since many people either choose not to or can't afford to shop at more specialized outlets like Trader Joes, etc."
4/5/23 8:10:55	85704	"As a senior citizen, I do a lot of long-awaited traveling and buy groceries for family members and friends that I visit.  One of the greatest advantages of living in Arizona and living on a fixed income is the competition between grocery stores which causes them to keep the prices reasonable, much more so that in many other states.  Our cost of living (along with our beautiful weather) attracts many to relocate here.  A merger between these companies would cause grocery prices to rise markedly to the detriment of residents, not just in my age group but of all residents, families with young children being the next hardest hit group.  "
4/5/23 10:53:01		I am completely aginast it 100%. Kroger wants to do everything digital or buy 5 so there are no deals. If they merge where will I shop. It would create a lot of problems and make life harder for a lot of people like myself. 
4/5/23 16:24:48	86401	"If Krogers and Albertsons are allowed to merge, they would have a monopoly here in our community. It will most likely raise the price of the groceries that are already at a all time high in our area.  It would limit the choices of where we can shop.  We are a small community and if by chance they were to close one of the stores, it would cause some people to drive a greater distance to shop.  It is a all around bad idea and not fair to our community which already is one of the lower economic areas in our state.  Please fight this"
4/6/23 12:38:45	86409	"kingman az. we have 4 grocery stores. walmart, smiths (kroger corporation), bashas (rileys corporation) and  (2) safeway north and safeway south (kroger corporation)  this would leave us with walmart, kroger (3) and bashas.  bashas is so high priced, i don't recall the last time i went in there.  i can't afford to drive to henderson nevada every week to get low cost groceries at WINCO.  merging albertsons and kroger will NOT benefit us. they'll just gang up on any mom and pop store and drive them out of business.  it's what happens when walmart moves into a town. they show the mom and pop stores what's going to happen, they buy them out, and we're STUCK with ""take it or leave it"".  dave gossage, kingman az"
4/6/23 19:38:10	86301	when Safeway and Albertsons merged we lost Albertsons.  I know the same will happen and we'll lose Safeway then there will be LESS competition!  Don't let Kroger rule the supermarket world!  Don't let the merger happen. 
4/8/23 18:01:36	85224	"This merger would be bad for everyone except big-wigs at Kroger who will probably get huge bonuses because of it. It will undoubtedly be bad for local grocery store employees, due to the inevitable store closures. It will be bad for shoppers because the remaining stores will be crowded and because Kroger will have less competition so they can raise prices. And municipalities will be faced with a ton of unemployed workers. Bad for everyone."
4/9/23 13:47:53	86336	This merger could have detrimental effects on the food system in Arizona. Not only would it impact the consumer with limited grocery store choices but it will impact our local and small farms. Please do not allow this merger to happen. 
4/10/23 16:03:02	85259	"I strongly oppose this merger because it will: 1) increase prices on food and other essential household items 2) decrease sales by half every week 3) decrease savings to me from these sales 4) decrease choice 5) decrease variety 6) extend price gouging practices making it an accepted norm 7) it will extend historical trends of putting more power into the hands of greedy, big business capitalists which will further diminish purchasing power and power for the people  8) the reduced competition will hurt me and my neighbors because we are on a fixed, limited income 9) We are surrounded by Fry's Markets, two within 4 miles 10) Frys Supermarkets already has a MONOPOLY in Scottsdale with 7 to boast, 27 stores in Phoenix and 124 in the entire state. Albertsons has 134. Case in point, Arizonians will have no CHOICE, no variety and no savings if this merger is approved. It will make it next to impossible for my disabled neighbors to buy groceries because they walk to Albertsons across the street and cannot afford to buy $30 minimum groceries to have them delivered, or the expensive $120+ membership for grocery delivery services . This merger will severely and permanently hurt Arizonians in the worst ways because no one can survive or thrive, without proper nutrition and won't be able to afford it if this merger is approved. Many of us cannot afford our groceries but we cannot get SNAP either because we are above the threshold to qualify for SNAP. The food banks and Senior Centers give too much canned food that's too high in sodium and sugar for me to eat. Please, I urge you to deny this merger, because of the permanent, adverse impact it will have on most Arizonians, including the homeless populations, and whose existence the State of Arizona has never acknowledged until the last Census. Even then, the Census stopped counting before they were all counted. I know because I worked it. Please deny this merger because it will hurt so many residents while not helping to improve the numerous social ills with which our state is grappling. It will increase theft, violent crime, homelessness, mental illness and further tax our emergency health care workers too. It is not fair to allow so much power to rest in the hands of big business because too much power in the hands of the powerful IS THE PROBLEM!  This merger will have a ""trickling down"" effect in so many ways, in so many areas. It will do much more damage than simply hurt Arizonians, and for these reasons I vehemently oppose this merger and urge you NOT to approve it. Thank you for considering my viewpoints. Sincerely, Liza Weber "
4/11/23 22:31:27	86315	Please do not let this merger take place. Wrong for our area
4/13/23 9:22:32	86327	"Lack of grocery stores in this area is already a major problem.  Frys sells more unacceptable Kroger brands now, always crowded, slow checkouts.  Safeway just remodeled but there are ore empty shelves than full now due to the demand of too many shoppers.  We actually drive all the way to Bashas in Camp Verde to be able to get all the items we need without huge crowds in every aisle.  Stop the merger and help this area get a Bashas or Winco or some other decent grocery stores to allow free enterprise. "
4/13/23 9:49:22	86336	"I pray to God that thus merger becomes a reality!  I started out as an employee of Safeway, from 1986-1989. I then went to work for Smith’s in 1989. In 1999 Smith’s was bought out by Kroger, and it became a Fry’s store. I have been working at the same store since 1989, & commuting from Sedona to Cottonwood for 32 of those years, even in inclimate weather.  I’ve been commuting 34 miles round trip. If this merger goes through, it will be a dream come true for me! I am literally in walking distance to Safeway in Sedona.  I feel this merger will be better for communities as well, because Kroger dies quite a lot for all the communities where they’re located. They have a program where they feed the hungry, and they constantly donate to food banks, have free tuition college scholarship programs & many, many more wonderful programs. This merger would be win- win, because Kroger would be bigger, & able to expand on their existing programs, as well as create more. "
4/13/23 13:28:06	86327	"Merging of the two stores may well result in closure of the Prescott Valley Safeway. This would, in effect, create a food desert for those on the east side of Presctt Valley. At this time individuals from the eastern border of Prescott Valley and farther east must drive a minimum of 6 miles for groceries or use Family Dollar and/or the Maverick convenience store. For seniors who have difficulty with transportation it presents another layer of complexity. Home delivery is expensive. If the Safeway closes, it will require a minimum of a 26-mile round trip for groceries adding to pollution, traffic congestion and fuel consumption. The issues presented here are the merely the basic issues. There are a host of reasons why this merger is not in the best interests of quad cities' residents.9"
4/14/23 2:04:50	86333	I'm concerned about access to in-network pharmacy availability if there is only one major grocery store chain remaining in PV and Prescott.  
4/14/23 9:32:32	86301	"I shop at both Fry’s and Safeway.  My husband has had triple bypass surgery.  Accordingly, we both follow the DASH diet.  In Prescott, only Safeway carries reduced-fat cheese products and only slices and shredded.  I am concerned that if this merger occurs we will not have any grocery that carries the reduced-fat cheese products we need and love."
4/15/23 15:26:28	86431	"We have only Walmart, Safeway and Smith's in Kingman. If Safeway and Smith's merge, can they guarantee the same or better selection of products? Walmart does not fulfill the needs of anyone who wishes to purchase fresh, not previously frozen, vegetable and fruits. Nor do they offer many of the specialty items available in Safeway. From past history, I have found that chains tend to drop specialty items when mergers occur. Smith's has a wide selection of cheeses. Safeway has better produce. Will they use the same suppliers? Or go with what is the least expensive? People are lazy and do not want to shop 3 different markets. If one store can guarantee a large selection of ordinary off the shelf items, fresh vegetables, a butcher and seafood, then that would be wonderful. But, they have to stay competitive and if they merge, all I can foresee is higher prices. I can't see the Federal Trade Commission approving this merger. "
4/15/23 19:53:00	86327	"I too are concerned about this merger. Here in the Prescott Valley area we already saw the effects of a few closures, including the closure of Sam's Club here.  The nearest club is 90 miles away up or down the hill, as we say. Any loss of these choices for food will affect our community in competitiveness,  resources and jobs. This, at a time this area is growing in population rapidly and we need more, not less, choices for grocery and other retail outlets instead of less. Thanks for doing good research on this issue  for our state. "
4/16/23 8:18:48	86314	"I feel that every time two, or more, large corporations merge or one buys out another it reduces competition in the marketplace. This is especially true in the retail food industry. Living in a semi-rural area like Prescott Valley we already have a smaller selection of grocery stores within a reasonable drive. This proposed merger would lead to less selection and competition by closing existing stores, thereby reducing selection and raising prices. The larger and more powerful the remaining corporations get the more dangerous it becomes to the survival of the weaker ones. We are getting too close to a monopoly, I am opposed to this merger. Thank you."
4/17/23 14:55:51	85006	"I am vehemently opposed to this merger because it will only serve to reduce the availability of grocery services in underserved communities, raise prices to the consumer, and reduce jobs in our area. I shop at both Fry's and Safeway almost every time I go for groceries. I will plan each trip according to who is offering a better price on a given item. Were this merger to be completed, the middle-market grocers in the state would essentially seize to have real competition, leaving consumers with higher costs on already inflated goods and no alternative to one giant corporation. While these companies may argue that there are many other grocers in the area, the closest competitors are either bargain stores (i.e. Food City, WinCo) or high-end grocers (i.e. AJ's, Whole Foods), places where the ever-slighted middle class cannot find the variety they desire and the prices they deserve."
4/18/23 14:43:18	85736	"In addition to losing competitiveness in the grocery market here in Tucson, Fry’s stopped working with my pharmacy manager, Express Scripts, in a meaningful way, and I switched to Albertsons and Safeway. Although I shop at Fry’s, I don’t want it to be the only choice out there!  Thanks for listening. "
4/19/23 9:33:26	85004	"Attorney General Mayes:  Please oppose the merger between grocery store chains Kroger and Albertsons. The proposed combination of 2 of the 10 largest grocers in the country will give Kroger a practical monopoly in many parts of Arizona, resulting in higher prices and lower service levels for consumers.  Private equity firm Cerberus Capital entered the grocery business 17 years ago when it acquired struggling Albertsons stores in hopes of orchestrating a turnaround. Fast-forward to today. Cerberus wants to cash out, but, given the historically low margins in the industry (around 3% annually), is unable to find a buyer, so the firm has arranged a merger to surreptitiously withdraw its capital while leaving the combined company saddled with debt. What is being sold as a benefit to consumers is actually a ruse; the only party who will benefit from this merger is Cerberus, who stands to earn billions.  With such a large footprint, the combined Kroger + Albertsons will have control over the grocery supply chain in many Arizona markets. While larger cities like Scottsdale have alternatives like Wai-Mart and Target, these stores do not sell the same breadth of products as traditional grocers. That means Kroger+ Albertsons will be the only supplier for products like fresh seafood, horseradish root, and fennel. Furthermore, as we saw during the pandemic, when shortages abound, the largest grocers receive delivery preference from suppliers, leaving smaller chains with empty shelves. Case in point: Family grocery chain Basha's. Unable to compete for scarce products with the larger players, the Basha's family was forced to sell the company to Raley's in 2021. fter buying up the available supply and pushing smaller competitors out of the market, Kroger+ Albertsons will be able to raise prices for consumers on products that other chains do not carry. The same scenario played out in Arizona following the American Airlines+ US Airways merger in 2013. Even after divestitures mandated by settlement with the government, with only two major air carriers remaining in Phoenix (American and Southwest), fares have risen and service levels have fallen, especially on tightly controlled routes like Phoenix to Philadelphia. The only beneficiaries of that deal were the investors in the combined American Airlines.  Competition is good for the people of Arizona; oligopolies are not. I encourage your office to take legal action to block the tie up of Kroger and Albertsons. A settlement agreement for divestitures is insufficient, because it is unlikely the divested stores will survive over the long-term. "
4/19/23 9:40:20		I am totally against the merger. I am quite concerned it will close a lot of facilities in AZ and that it will put AZ workers out of work. 
4/19/23 9:45:04	86303	Please do not allow a merger between Albertsons and Kroger. Last merger we lost stores and a lot of people lost jobs. I live right behind the Safeway on White Spar in a Senior Mobile Home park and several of our people walk to the store to get groceries. Thank you for listening. 
4/19/23 9:48:21	85016	This Arizona resident and voter encourages you to work against the merger of fry's - kroger with safeway- albertsons.  Frys already uses its big market position to keep prices high. Control the public's choices. We need competition!
4/19/23 10:59:49	86413-7513	"I seriously doubt that our opinions will have any influence at all on the prospective merger.   I do think a merger would create a monopoly and grocery prices will sky rocket even higher than they already are!  IF our opinions have an effect, I am against the merger!"
4/19/23 11:26:48	85215	The frys and albertsons are 1 street away from each other. Frys is already huge here in a community where most people are 55 and over. I complained to kroger about the lack of carts when I take my 90 year old mother to shop at Frys and the man said to me carts are expensive and take up room we are not getting any more live with it lady. what is going to happen when it gets bigger and bugger. She had an item on sale but it was on a digital coupon and she had to pay full price even though she doesnt have a phone and they said too bad. When I called Kroger they said we will have digital forever you might was well get used to it. I ran into the store and I asked if I could bring a box of crakers to my mother in her car and albertsons let me frys would not have. No one at Kroger cares.
4/19/23 11:27:11	85268	"The proposed merger between Kroger and Albertsons companies will result in a huge price increase for consumers for groceries, when Americans are already struggling with inflation to put food on the table.  Many Arizonans will no longer have a choice about where to shop for food, creating a monopoly in many markets. In my personal experience, Albertsons' prices are consistently 25% to 50% higher than Kroger for IDENTICAL, name brand items at locations only 4 miles apart.  Clearly, overhead and transportation costs cannot be a factor, so Albertsons' lust for profit is the only remaining explanation. And now that Walmart is closing stores across the country, the proposed rationale that “a merger is the only way to compete” is more transparently a big lie than ever before.  Albertsons' management philosophy to overcharge consumers will prevail.  If they really want to be competitive, they need to lower their prices, not raise them. Finally, they will close stores and put employees out of work.  If that is not their plan, then they should sign binding agreements to that effect."
4/19/23 11:28:22		Safeway is alrefdy with Albertsons. Ifthey merge further it will be a monopoly. This is something the antitrust guys should look into. It will affect everything about our stores. it only benefits the shareholders. 
4/20/23 12:40:58		Will only increease costs. Very bad idea and I will not shop at either location if merger occurs.
4/20/23 12:41:42		This is predatory behavior...........
4/21/23 11:12:46	86431	Not in favor with merger. Concerned about competitive pricing and availability of name brand products.
4/21/23 11:13:09	86431	Not in favor with merger. Concerned about competitive pricing and availability of name brand products.
4/21/23 12:34:44	86303	"This merger does NOT reflect the best interests of the citizens and communities of central Arizona. It would very likely result in the closure of stores and increased food prices, especially on lower income families. Please do what you can to prevent this merger from going through!"
4/21/23 14:09:50	58711	"Please do not allow the Kroger-Albeertson's merger.  The merger would contribute to a monopolistic system, which would reduce competition and harm the citizens of Arizona.  "
4/21/23 15:10:45		The commercials with the cute avatars make me irate. The execs have been rude to me. The ads imply they have everything you want etc . Frys has been go to for 20 yrs 2 are in walking distance. For the most part found what he needed until 5 yrs ago. Spoke to executives but after a former exec died things have not been the same.  Wanted propane tank in a Frys called to see if they had it and wanted to get senior discount the automated system when you call is hard to get to a person and they didnt have any and called another one. I kept calling other ones asking for a propane tank no one had one or knew when they would have one. They don't have products they've carried for years. The pharmacy said prescription was filled when it wasn't. The senior discount isn't enough anymore prices have increased. The sale day doesn't line up with when social security hits. 3-5 years ago frys started charging for cash back. Everything is a hassle or problem. 
4/21/23 16:39:49	Green valley	It would be a disaster if it goes though. They discriminate against people with no cell phones.   
4/21/23 19:36:45	86303	This is how prices are fixed and monopolies are built.  I am against the merger of Albertsons and Kroger.
4/23/23 11:58:32	85020	"I have strong feeling about the Kroger-Albertsons merger.  I am 78 years old and can remember when there were hundreds of department stores all over the country until Macy's bought up everything in sight.  Now we have a much less competitive field in grocery stores, and will be practically sole sourced if Kroger has it's way.  If Basha's fails to compete and it may, we will have just one major grocery chain to shop at.  I shop at all three of these chains, and use Trader Joe's, Winco, Food City and Sprouts for supplemental items.  I know that many people will lose jobs.  The Albertson's Safeway merger was not a success.  And promises made at that time were not kept.  I believe that this merger will be disastrous for the Arizona consumer. "
4/26/23 5:27:49	86314	"First of all, why wasn't Prescott Valley included?! Our community is larger than Prescott and we have both a Fry's and Safeway. This is a huge concern for us as we are growing and have only Walmart as an alternative. I'm very concerned as they employ a lot of our residents and a merge usually results in cutting off staff. We went through this in Fayetteville NC and it wasn't pretty them either. My question is what food are there meetings if this giant decision had already been made?! Please explain that to me."
4/26/23 15:54:13	86403	"I am an albertsons employee who has seen many changes in my 40+ years with them. I am very against the Kroger buyout because I believe it will cause many to be unemployed and ultimately lead to fewer choices for the customer as they lose their familiar store brands, policies, and employees. The Albertsons/Safeway merger is still a mess with different leadership from each side STILL trying to push their way as the best. This is not progressing, it is the death of our customers shopping experience. We owe the people who shop our stores a pleasant shopping experience.  This I don't believe will happen if this merger is approved. "
4/26/23 19:11:00	85251	"A merger will result in price increases because there will be less competition,  job loss because there will be less stores and food deserts, because again, less stores. None of that is good for consumers. A merger ONLY benefits the corporation by creating a monopoly. Please oppose this with every resource that you have. I'm planning to retire to AZ in the near future and, on a limited budget, a merger is terrible news to me. "
4/26/23 22:21:24	85383	"No one is thinking of the multitude of independent contractors and service providers that do maintenance at Safeway/ Albertsons. Kroger has a company policy of “in-house” maintenance that will eventually find even more people out of work. This merger is completely unnecessary and only benefits a few top executives, lawyers and stockholders. The workers and the public will get hit….again. "
4/27/23 9:39:45	85122	"Casa Grande’s main food stores are 2 Fry’s and one Safeway. We would be greatly impacted by a merger literally holding the town hostage to high prices. We need more competition here but no other food stores have yet to come in, despite our enormous growth these past few years."
4/27/23 10:28:38	85022	Against the merger. Enough monopolies 
4/27/23 11:30:10	85335-6936	Mom and pop stores are a thing of the past
5/3/23 7:26:25	85226	"I am against this merger.  The closes Fry's store (Kroger) is about 2.5 miles east of me.  The next closest is a Fry's is 4 miles west.  The closest Albertsons is 4 Miles east, and the closest Safeway is 3 miles SW.  Some of those stores may close, maybe none of them.  But I have shopped all of them and I have to say that the Albertsons-Safeway stores are operated better.  The network performs better.  If Kroger gets to control control all of it, it will be a mess.  Splitting off some stores to protect competition could also be dangersous as the Albertsons-Safeway transaction proved.  Hagen was in Arizona for less than a year.  The stores that they acquired either fully closed or went back to being a Safeway or Albertsons.  Dont allow this merger"
5/5/23 16:30:30	86327	"If there is anyway to stop this action it would be wonderful. I am just reiterating what I am sure you have heard throughout AZ that any more consolidation will be extremely determental to consumers who already often have to travel in excess of 10 miles to a grocery store of any kind. This would leave Dewey, Mayer etc folks with nothing closer than Glassford Rd in PV.  Thank for any help. "
5/8/23 14:15:16	85340	"Will there be more of these?  I never heard a thing about this.  I’m certain none of my neighbors had either, as grocery stores are a frequent topic, on NextDoor.  This merger cannot happen, the price gouging of these grocery stores is already rampant, allowing them to merge, would be detrimental to our citizens.  These stores do not have the best interests of consumers in mind.  As it is, Kroger is dropping most of their store brands, which raises the cost of groceries, dramatically.  Please do not let this happen.  "
5/9/23 7:44:13	85340	"As a consumer who shops at the Albertsons at the intersection of Indian School Rd & Dysart Rd multiple times a week, and have since the store opened, I am concerned about a monopoly affect. If this merger goes through, will Kroger feel they have leverage based on reduced choices to consumers to raise pricing? Thank you for your time. Patrick Walp. "
5/9/23 10:13:45	85340	"This would limit competition, create price setting for all the involved stores, would cause many stores to close by merging in the same area, resulting in employee layoffs.  It would create one large company with few competitors. "
5/9/23 11:43:57	85340	This merger will nearly eliminate any motivation to price fairly in our area since most of the local geckogrocery stores will be owned by one parent company.  And that's putting aside the fact that they will most likely simply close many which will cause lose of jobs and hardship for many who shop at them.  I am absolutely opposed to this merger!
5/9/23 16:13:27	85392	Please  do not allow this merger to get approval.  This would be bad for our families.  
5/9/23 16:39:16	85340	We already have Albertsons & Safeway equal distance apart from me but the Frys is only a short distance further and it worries me to have 3 groceries stores who could engage in price fixing so close together. 
5/9/23 18:19:32	85392	"Very bad idea. Would create a monopoly, decrease choices, increase prices. People would lose jobs…more empty buildings. Fry’s doesn’t always have best prices and have received better discounts at Albertsonsor Safeway. Please don’t allow. "
5/10/23 14:48:23	85340	"This merger would be DISASTROUS for Arizona!  In the West Valley it would eliminate almost all competition except for Basha's, which is owned by Raley's, Aldi's and Wal-Mart.  I do not include Sam's or Costco.  Not everyone is a member.   Competition is what keeps prices competitive and allows some assurance of quality. Please do not allow this merger!"
5/12/23 14:37:57	85307	This should not be allowed! this would cause Kroger to own the majority of grocery stores and that would end competition. I imagine stores would be closed/merged and that would cause a loss of job for a lot of individuals. This should be a no brainer and not allowed to go through!
5/12/23 21:52:17	86314	"I feel if Kroger bought or merged with Safeway we would have a monopoly on our hands.   I do not feel this would be good for my area in Prescott Valley.   The only other stores we have ate Walmart and Sprouts.   We already lost Albertsons to Safeway.  If I could vote on this, I would vote no against it.   "
5/14/23 14:46:19	85340	"This would cut down on competition in the market, and reduce consumer choices. This is just bad.."
5/14/23 18:08:42	85603	"The merger should be opposed for the following reasons; the merged company would have a 36% market share of supermarket sales; it is normal after a merger that 'underperforming stores' would be closed. That would be expecially true of the Bisbee Safeway the services a relatively small population-6,000 in Bisbee/Naco and generously another 4000 in Hereford and Sulfur Springs Valley. That is not a large market. Decisions are made in private using a variety of measures such as  KPI's (Key Performance Indicators)  such as Sales per Square Foot, Gross/Net profit, Average Transaction  Value,(how much people spend), Year to Year Growth and many more. Public need does not factor into corporate decisions. I urge you to continue to oppose this merger. "
5/15/23 20:45:31	85603	"As a resident of Bisbee, I am very concerned about the potential merger between Kroger and Albertson's. The companies have already said that the merger may ""require"" the sale or closure of thousands of stores. If the Safeway in Bisbee closed, it would be devastating for our community. The Safeway is our only local option for fresh, semi-affordable food. There are many Bisbee residents - seniors and families with children - who simply cannot afford to drive to Sierra Vista or Douglas to buy groceries. There are also plenty of Bisbee residents who might have to choose between driving to Sierra Vista or Douglas for groceries or paying their electric bill. The Safeway pharmacy is also an essential resource in our community. It is the only pharmacy in town for those of us who get our health care from the Copper Queen medical group. Patients of the Chiricahua health clinic can have their prescriptions filled at their in-house pharmacy, but the rest of us rely on Safeway. Additionally, many residents of Bisbee, Douglas and the surrounding areas depend on Safeway for their livelihoods. When Douglas lost its Safeway and later the Food City grocery store, many of the employees from those stores found work at the Bisbee Safeway. Our community relies heavily on sales tax revenue from Safeway too. We are in the midst of voting on a proposal to fund a much-needed new jail facility in Cochise Co. that would be funded by an increase in the county sales tax. What would happen to us if the jail proposal passed, but we lost our biggest source of sales tax revenue in Bisbee?  The merger between Kroger and Albertson's may make sense to the corporations and private equity firm who would surely profit from it. But they don't live in our community, or probably in any of the thousands of rural communities across the country who would be affected by this merger. The consumers and employees of supermarkets like Safeway have helped investors grow rich, but now they want to be even richer without regard to the impact on communities all over the country."
5/16/23 7:43:10	85037	This is horrible news and should not be allowed. 
5/16/23 12:48:00	85392	No to the merger - please - will have fewer choices & most likely price increases - our budgets are already at the brink of breaking
5/16/23 14:54:53	85395	Groceries are skyrocketing and Fry’s is really the only place with decent produce prices and generally less expensive than Safeway or Albertson’s. Please don’t merge!!
5/16/23 18:28:14	85395	"Then our only choice would be Kroger, Walmart and Bashas!! In our area it would devastate if they then close some of the stores to consolidate. We need more options not fewer!!  "
5/16/23 21:54:28	85379	This merger can cause fixed prices for these stores. We are being gauged from all sides. How are we supposed to afford to live. I’m a retired widow. My money only goes so far. Please don’t let this happen. 
5/17/23 7:38:50	85303	I think a merger between Kroger's and Albertsen's would not be good for competition and the consumer would ultimately pay higher price.
5/17/23 8:04:19	85338	"With inflation skyrocketing, especially here in Arizona, this merger would be another death keel to the Americian consumer. We need competition to keep our economy healthy. This merger would eliminate competion and fix pricing on, goods and services unilaterally. Without competion there is no incentive to fight for the consumer dollar. Without competion the consumer is forced into receiving limitions on the products,, brands or even quantities that are needed to provide for their families. Without competion customer service becomes less important and workers are subjected to unfair and demeaning work practices. George Bailey said it best when he said that Bedford Falls need the Bailey Buliding and Loan if for no other reason than keeping Mr. Potter from owning everything in town. We need Albertson's to stay independent of the Kroger Corporation. "
5/17/23 13:41:53	85396	"Where we live, there are basically two choices for groceries - Safeway/Albertsons and Frys/Kroger.  If they merge we will really have no choice.  Reducing competition through such a merger will end up leaving us with higher overall prices."
5/18/23 8:17:31	85323	Why should Frys have a monopoly when Bell wasn’t allowed?
5/20/23 5:55:03	86315	In this area we do not have enough grocery stores for the current number of people. And there are thousands of more homes planned. If the merger happens and the smaller stores are closed this will be a hard ship on our entire area. When Safeway bought Albertsons some Albertsons stores were closed because because the two stores were too close together. This corporate decision might have been good for Safeway but very bad for those of us left to deal with less stores. Thank you for giving the public the opportunity to voice their thoughts.
5/24/23 8:51:42	85367	I'm not for the merger of Fry's- kroger and  Albertson's. Fry's has a monopoly here in the foothill! Don't have any  other market here to go to! It would be a big mistake to let this merger happen!
5/24/23 9:02:12	85254	PLEASE don’t allow this merger.  Nothing good will come from it. PLEASE!!!!!
5/24/23 11:10:50	85365	I am against the merger. I believe it will cause prices to rise due to no competition between the two companies. This will be harmful to consumers. 
5/24/23 11:32:41	85383	This is NOT a good idea!! It will only benefit the higher ups! Sad for Arizona!
5/24/23 12:37:14	85367	"We have one significant grocery store in the Foothills of Yuma and that is Frys. While the is a Walmart the quality of produce and meat in inferior to Frys. Our store is big, beautiful and usually packed with shoppers. The employees have difficulty keeping shelves stocked. We have been begging for another grocery store as Frys is always so busy. Albertsons is always more expensive than Frys and the Foothills is home to an abundance of seniors as well as winter visitors. New home construction has been approved and is booming. The merger would END competition for ALL of Yuma. Please deny this merger!"
5/24/23 14:03:28	85054	I am not happy about the proposed merger of Kroger and Albertsons. I feel like it will create a monopoly and people will lose their jobs. I shop at both Fry’s and Albertsons and enjoy looking for coupon savings. 
5/24/23 14:09:53	85254	"I am completely against this merger.  As a third generation of Phoenix, I have witnessed the demise of so many retailers.  This has led to smaller selections of merchandise and higher prices.  This is exactly what will happen if Albertson’s and Kroeger merge."
5/24/23 14:37:00	85364	"I write to voice my opposition to this proposed merger, which would almost certainly have a negative impact on the Yuma area.  Yuma city limits has one Fry’s and two Albertsons stores, plus two locations each of Food City and Del Sol Market, two Walmart superstores and one Walmart market. (An additional, larger Fry’s is just outside Yuma city limits and serves as kind of a magnet store for residents of eastern Yuma County that don’t enjoy large supermarkets near them.) However, Del Sol’s stores are smaller and really best looked at as specialty stores for Mexican food items. For example, our household regularly shops at Del Sol, but only for tortillas (free of the preservatives found in shelf-stable brands) and occasionally their butcher shop. We would only shop at Food City if they were out of the specialty item we were looking for at Del Sol. The Del Sol stores’ size means most of their commonly carried shelf products are more expensive. The Walmarts are not convenient to shop in when going just for groceries, as it is longer to park, walk and checkout in those stores. That leaves Fry’s and Albertsons as the two most common places for us to get groceries, and if they are not competing with one another, it’s hard to imagine grocery prices doing anything but increasing. Indeed, it would leave a mark on Del Sol and Food City, as the merger’s buying power would reduce product availability and increase their costs, according to a statement by the president/CEO of Fresh Encounter, a small, Ohio-based chain.  Based on their proximity to one another, a merged Kroger-Albertsons would most likely close at least one Yuma store, increasing traffic and checkout times and possibly reducing product availability.  But the biggest issue is who gets to benefit from this proposed merger. It’s *not* consumers. To quote the New York Times, “But the biggest winners in the $24.6 billion deal may be the private-equity giant Cerberus and a group of investors. They have already made big profits in their long-term investment in Albertsons and hope to make billions of dollars more through the merger.”** Thanks to a court ruling in the state of Washington, the current Albertsons company was cleared to pay a $4 billion dividend to its shareholders. This dividend belies the claims of the pro-merger crowd that they are having trouble competing against Walmart.   In other words, the “winners” in this deal are not cash-strapped working families – it’s a private equity firm and those well-off enough to invest in it.  For these reasons, I urge the Attorney General to use whatever available powers she has to prevent this merger and provide relief to southwest Arizona grocery customers.  ** “Kroger-Albertsons Merger Faces Long Road Before Approval,” New York Times, Jan. 23, 2023"
5/24/23 15:22:03	85254	Love frys special foods.  Pleae don't merge with albertsons
5/24/23 15:28:55	85254	"I believe that the mergermof Kroger/Safeway/Albertsons represents a monopoly, which is illegal.  Please don't approve it."
5/24/23 17:09:16	85365	We are strongly against the proposed merger. We need competition to keep prices down. I don’t want to be forced to use Kroger brand. Fry’s has made brand names not available. Albertson is a better store: advertised items are available . Fry’s (Kroger) uses sale items as a come on to sell substitute items or for me me to come back.
5/24/23 17:13:16	85367	"Albertson's has 2 stores in Yuma as does Fry's. Those 4 are the largest , in terms of sales volume, in the county. To have them under the same corporate umbrella would have significant--too much-- influence. in the market. i"
5/24/23 17:35:18	85365-7225	"I am not for the merger at all!, strongly am against it. Fry's rices way too high and is forcing you to use their brands, which many I am not fond of. They also were not well stocked during the pandemic, and not stocked well with the Winter Visitors here. I prefer the Abertson's on Ave B, has always been well stocked, and great meat and produce department, and managers of those department have been very helpful. Many time at Fry's when something is on sale and they say they never received the product at Foothill's store. Just have been very unhappy with the Fry's store. Also purchased chicken's wings one day, were horrible, and had many feathers on them, and they were returned and got our money back! Another thing if there is a merger, it will lead to unemployment, sad! Again, I DO NOT SUPPIORT THIS MERGER!!!!"
5/24/23 18:57:55	85365	I am against the merger. It means less competition which will bring higher grocery prices and less quality service. It will create a behemoth of a grocery company. Less companies competing will hurt the consumers. 
5/24/23 22:56:05	85254-2535	"I absolutely oppose a merger when there is already a dearth of competition in grocery stores in our area. Keep Arizona’s markets competitive to keep prices down please, and block this merger."
5/25/23 10:15:19	85364	"Not long ago a contaminated leafy green prepackaged product had to be removed from Fry's. Since I shop both Frys and Albertsons, I was able to find a comparable uncontaminated product at Albertsons because the two stores use different suppliers. A merger would create a shortage of any recalled product, as there would be no variety in suppliers when a food product needs to be recalled.  For this and reasons that others oppose this merger, I believe that such a merge would be detrimental to us in our rural areas of Arizona.. Thank you for your efforts in opposing this merger."
5/25/23 19:53:56	85254	"Allowing two of the largest grocers to merge would likely create monopolistic behavior forcing smaller companies out of business, raise prices, and create additional unemployment.  Bad for small business, bad for consumers.  "
5/25/23 21:56:05	85254	"The Frys-Safeway merger is terrible for consumers. It will drive prices up. It is a monopoly. Walmart is not competition; they do not even put items on sale. Stores will close. Aweful for consumers! Please consider the consumer rather than top officials, as we are the one that will be affected. So many people moving to Arizona and we will have very limited grocery competition.We need your help please"
5/26/23 9:36:32	85254	I do not support the merger of these two chains. This merger will largely eliminate any competition for main stream grocery stores in Arizona.
5/26/23 10:32:54	85254	Please stop this merger.  It will result in many job losses and vacant buildings. There is a Safeway (Albertson's) and Frys (Kroger) where I shop in my neighborhood and they are located right across the street from one another (64th St/Greenway). One of them will have to close if the merger goes through which means another strip center struggling with the vacancy. This is not good for our state and the consumer. We've lost many large grocery chains over the years and this will leave us with only two (Walmart/Kroger) which impacts competition. Please do what you can to stop it from happening. Thank you 
5/26/23 13:08:18	85254	This merger will create a grocery monopoly in this state causing increased prices for all.  Last time this area had competitive prices was when there were many more grocery store options.
5/26/23 14:34:53	green valley	I am against the merger. We use frys they are cheaper than the safeway here. The safeway is price gouging. I am opposed because it will jack up the prices at the food stores. 
5/26/23 23:51:20	85254	NO to the merger!! This is bad for the consumers! Grocery prices will go up as Frys will have a monopoly in the grocery store business. No competition makes prices rise. Please say NO!!
5/27/23 0:40:20	85264	This is not a good idea for our state. Monopolies are never good for consumers. No competition brings only high prices to consumers. or over priced 
5/27/23 13:15:35	85254	I am opposed to this merger as it will give the company too large a market share. It will undoubtedly raise prices in our communities.
5/27/23 13:28:09	85367	"I am strongly opposed to the merger of Kroger & Albertsons.  The merger would give no competition and as a result, prices would soar.  I am a senior citizen on a very low fixed income. If they merge, I feel like I might have to choose between buying my meds or buying groceries.   I can easily see this happening."
6/7/23 14:20:58	85069	"PLEASE, PLEASE.  Do what you can to stop this merger!  I feel the health of our people depends on disbursed sources of food.  In 2018 the Safeway I patronized at 35th Ave, and Northern Ave in Phoenix burned down.  I had observed that many folks in walkers and wheel chairs were also patrons of this store.  They lived nearby in apartments where they could walk or wheel from their homes the the grocery store with reasonable convenience.  After the store burned their nearest grocer was MUCH farther away and bus transportation to the next store I am aware of was not easy, timely or convenient. (Different story, similar problem.)  I am able to drive to Sprouts or Albertson's or Fry's to do my shopping, but the prices did go up with just this single competitive store being gone. (It was replace with a fitness gym.)  We need more competition in many areas of our economy, not less.  Thank you for looking out for Arizonans."
7/5/23 9:17:28	85335	"I feel this will be very bad for Arizonans. It will reduce competition and will raise the price of groceries. It will also result in the loss of jobs. Another big concern is food deserts, there are places where only one store is located and people might lose access to thru only source for fresh food. Lastly I'm concerned about pharmacists closing and people not having local or nearby access. Elderly are especially vulnerable. I do not want this merger to go through."
7/16/23 10:56:57	85250	"I am very opposed to this merger. We already have limited selection of grocery stores,  and another merger would reduce it even further taking it to a near Monopoly.  The lack of competition will mean higher prices for consumers.  Not good!! "
7/22/23 22:50:48	85281	"I'm against the merger.  Please block it.  Kroger claims it will lower prices, but the real goal is to destroy smaller grocery chains like IGA, Food City, and Bashas. "
7/28/23 8:19:06	85650	Safeway in Sierra Vista apparently had a good record of supporting local food banks and nonprofits. Frys does not have a corporate philosophy along the same lines apparently. A negotiated condition of the merger should perhaps be that the more generous corporate philosophy should be adopted.
8/1/23 6:44:58	85202	"I already can't shop at Kroger owned grocery stores because of their union busting policies. I try to shop at bashas or food city as they are locally owned, but sometimes I go to Safeway. If they become one with Kroger I won't be able to shop there as a matter of principle as well. Please stop this merger. A hundred years ago our country was busting trusts, let's get back to that style of governing please. Thank you. "
8/1/23 7:27:52	85249-9063 	I am not in favor of the merger.  It will close many Albertsons and Safeway stores that are a smaller neighborhood alternative to the Fry's (Kroger) mega store.  I will also increase travel distance for many.
8/1/23 7:33:59	85338	"As it is, these stores are often somehow always on the same page as to what goes on sale and what stays sky high. If merged, prices would climb even further and people would be left with few options for any savings. Nothing good will come from this for consumers."
8/1/23 8:16:16	85383	"Expect rising prices with the lack of competition but also the closure of stores, the loss of jobs, and the empty buildings that would be left behind."
8/1/23 8:17:29	85284	I think that this merger means less competition and less jobs for employees. Kroger has decreased services to the public and provided low quality food items. They should work on improving their company and standards instead of spreading them to other companies. I am totally against this merger.
8/1/23 8:17:46	85255	"Absolutely opposed to the merger. There is nothing in it for consumers or employees. Prices WILL rise to consumers; quality likely to decline; will be greater distances for many to go to get groceries. Supposed counterpoints are foolish, like the employees can work elsewhere. Really? Doing what precisely and how far away and for how much? Have watched problems when some grocers have cut a few stores. Often the ""solution"" is to REDUCE hours of those where it was shut down AND those where employees are sent. There is absolutely NOTHING of value to the consumer or employees and a LOT of evil that will result. This is a great reason FOR anti-trust laws and NO Walmart or Bashas or Sprouts is NOT going to prevent those problems. This is motivated by greed and will harm 99+% of people."
8/1/23 8:19:00	85374	This should not be allowed! This would cause Kroger to own the majority of grocery stores and that would end competition. I imagine stores would be closed/merged and that would cause a loss of job for a lot of individuals
8/1/23 8:22:23	85388	Please block the Fry's/Alberson's merger. It is anti trust .
8/1/23 8:24:08	85345	Block the Albertson's merger with Fry's. It is anti trust
8/1/23 8:41:08	85032	"please do everything you can to stop this merger, it benefits only corporate greed"
8/1/23 8:58:33	85119	"I am against this merger, it only benefits big business, in no way benefits the consumer"
8/1/23 9:01:41	85364	"Yuma has 2 Albertson's stores and 2 Frys stores, there would be no competition and forced to buy on high prices!"
8/1/23 9:03:17	85310	"This merger will not help the big corporation to save money by closing stores and layoff employess. Beside no price dropping, they play their games just like they did with Haggnis stores. "
8/1/23 9:03:44	85205	"This merger should not be allowed under any circumstances. This will severely impact competition in Arizona. If this allowed to proceed than the only competition to Fry's will be Walmart. Bashas does not have the buying power of the large chains and cannot compete. They claim this will help consumers. I do not believe it. When you curtail competition prices will rise. That is a fact. One grocery store, they can set the price how they want. Two grocery stores and they have to sharpen the pencil. Three grocery stores and there is competition for customers. Inflation has severely hurt consumers. Loss of competition between stores will add another level of hurt. "
8/1/23 9:34:18	85251	This is a bad deal. Safeway merged with Albertsons and prices went up. Stores will close and the merger will create higher prices !!because 
8/1/23 9:35:47	85225	Safeway has lower prices.
8/1/23 9:39:28	85206	"There hasn’t been a single merger (or consolidation of industry) that has benefit the consumer in recent years. The T-Mobile/Sprint merger was to result in higher data speeds, lower prices, and a new competitor, Dish Network, and more jobs. Instead, 5G rollout has slowed, prices among the big three (and only network developing carriers) have increased, while they’ve reduced package add-ons under the guise of “choice”, all while cutting jobs. While different industries, the merger of Albertsons/Kroger will have the same results: less choice; higher consumer prices; and less jobs. Kroger is obviously the biggest beneficiary of this merger, which would allow them to better compete with Walmart. That said, the goal of the public sector should not be to allow this merger to happen to enable that; instead it should be targeting Walmart for its anti-competitive practices. As soon as this merger happens, watch out for higher prices (higher than inflation), reduced jobs (Kroger is about to pilot a store that is 100% self-checkout), and less locations."
8/1/23 9:50:36	85310	I am against this Kroger-Albertson merger.  It would be LESS competition and that always means higher prices!  Loss of jobs would be devastating.  I remember the days of the government breaking up Ma Bell so the telephone system was not a monopoly.  Now these companies want to merge and create monopolies.  We're going backwards instead of forward in business competition.   
8/1/23 9:54:33	85205	"As someone who has worked for both companies separately, I can say with great confidence that neither should be given the control this merger would deliver. They can and will destroy an already fragile workforce. They will continue the assault on our economy by essentially setting their own prices, which we will have no choice but to pay because there will not be many other options. I have yet to hear any benefit of this insane proposal. "
8/1/23 10:09:48	85233	"I think it's relatively obvious that antitrust laws have not been enforced on corporate grocery stores. By and large, the industry has become a monopoly and we are currently debating whether to allow the largest retailer become even larger? Hard pass. A merger helps the CORPORATION, not the person. Basic economics will tell us the ramifications of this merger, but let's feel empathy for the corporate pocketbooks? Again, hard pass. There is no reason that grocery stores should be monopolized - these are the lifelines of our civilization! Monopolies benefit no one, except the monopolizer... Please stop this merger and start enforcing antitrust laws again. "
8/1/23 10:10:18	85942	"The Kroger merger will only limit options for consumers already struggling. It will create a monopoly on our already limited choices for groceries. When companies don’t need to compete with each other for your dollar, there is no incentive to offer competitive prices or quality products. "
8/1/23 10:11:49	85209	Less competition means higher prices.
8/1/23 10:12:14	85032	A monopoly on FOOD is not okay. Food is a basic necessity for survival and it should not be a pawn in corporate greed.
8/1/23 10:24:43	86314	"Our community has never recovered from the Albertsons-Safeway merger which left us down a grocer after the replacement grocer for our closed Albertsons failed outrageously due to their own actions. We have since grown exponentially in population without any additional grocers, this merger would force the closure of many stores leaving us with a loss of jobs and grocer options. Please object. "
8/1/23 10:29:05	85210	"A merger would be greatly detrimental to consumers. While it would allow for greater bargaining power for the larger corporation, it would also greatly reduce competition. We have all seen what happens with less competition, higher prices and less options for consumers. It will also lead to store closures and less jobs. This is detrimental to the communities of Arizona in more ways than one. . "
8/1/23 10:36:10	85254	"My family, and my neighbors fully believe that reducing competition in the Grocery landscape will lead to higher prices long term. Inflation is already eating a hole in our pockets and I do not believe we can afford ""Less Competition"" when we need the exact opposite."
8/1/23 10:38:34	85028	"This limits our choice and the healthy competition between stores. In my neighborhood, I already lost the Safeway in the Safeway/Albertsons merger and now I would lose another one. I think this is an unhealthy merger. Although I do like Fry's and I shop there, I don't wish for it to be my only option.   "
8/1/23 10:48:42	85041	Allowing the merger to go through would be a terrible decision for all consumers in Arizona. Stores will surely close down and less competition would only work in favor of the mega corporation to manipulate prices in their favor. 
8/1/23 10:52:05	85209	"I believe the Kroger and Albertson's merger should not take place.  We have been reduced to 3 large grocery stores at this point, Walmart, Albertson's/Safeway (due to the merger in recent years) and Fry's (Kroger).  If the Albertson's/Safeway merger proceeds with and into Fry's (Kroger), where is the competition for lower prices?  Also, there would be a reduction of stores available and a reduction in the work force.  I already have an Albertson's and Safeway within a 5 mile radius along with one Fry's store. That merger would possibly eliminate one or two of those stores and force me to shop with the only large true grocery only store in Arizona.  Why do we want to approve the limitation of competition in Arizona?  Competition is good for food prices and they are already high enough.  Why fuel that fire even more with the reduction of competition?  Please support our choice to shop according to lower prices and not at the only store in town.  Please also take into consideration the thousands of people that could lose their jobs with the effect of the merger."
8/1/23 10:53:31	85140	This is a bad idea!!  This creates a monopoly and will only hurt consumers.  There is enough of that going on now and we certainly don’t need this with our food.
8/1/23 11:01:11	85017	I vote NO against the merger. It is unfair to the paying community and the people who have been employed with these companies.
8/1/23 11:10:08	85296	"I do not like this merger. It will result in a near-monopoly, raising prices due to decreased competition. Furthermore, I also suspect store closures to further limit people's options."
8/1/23 11:18:58	85122	"I am a Casa Grande resident and oppose this merger. Several years ago, after Safeway merged with Albertsons, the combined company closed the Albertsons grocery store in Casa Grande. Currently we have 2 Fry's Food stores and 1 Safeway. If this merger is approved, I foresee one or possibly even two of these locations closing. Casa Grande is already underserved when it comes to grocery stores and shelves are frequently bare. I am concerned that allowing this merger would push Casa Grande closer to being a food desert and raise prices due to lack of competition."
8/1/23 11:20:39	85379	Block it. This merger will not save customers money at all. It will only make the market worse. We don't need a giant Kroger corporation which also doesn't treat employees right but not offering full time positions. They only care about themselves by constantly hiring new people and getting tax credits for that.
8/1/23 11:23:03	85254	PLEASE keep them separate so we have one grocery store that will have lower prices. With Kroger we have a  chance at getting good prices across the board. Thank you!!!
8/1/23 11:25:07	85282	Please don't let them merge. They will run Bashas out of business. A monopoly isn't good anywhere.  Thank you.
8/1/23 11:31:51	85355	"Merging the two corporations will not only affect the pricing of groceries for the consumer negatively, but employee wages and benefits as well. The mega-corporation will no longer need to present competitive wages to obtain new employees and for retaining existing staff since the employee will no longer have the option to figuratively ""go across the street"" for better pay and benefits. The west valley already struggles with finding employees at the store locations because of the cost of living. For example, the Fry's Goodyear location on Sarival Ave starts employees at $14 an hour and will not guaranty full time hours. This does not support to cost of living in Goodyear, or really anywhere in the state, most likely causing high turnover or employees to be reliant on government assistance programs. The corporation should be required to improve worker conditions first before it can consider expansion."
8/1/23 11:35:30	85044	"Allowing these two corporations to merge is incredibly anticompetitive.  Yes, technically there's ""competition"" Via lower-quality grocers: Walmart, Target (limited inventory), and other high-end (intentionally non-competing) grocers like Sprouts, AJ's, Natural Grocers, as well as low inventory niche stores like Trader Joes and Aldi available in the metro areas… However, Fry’s, and Safeway/Bashas are the only two remaining companies which service the “middle class” target market of customers. Respectfully, I actively avoid most of the other “competing” stores. Looking back in time, our state had many other competing stores:  Smiths, Smitty’s, Abco, Fresh & Easy… all gone.  We have two conglomerates actively remaining in this market.  Kroger and Basha’s. that’s it.  Merging the two creates a market segment monopoly, which is what our nation’s antitrust laws prohibit. Adjacent stores will close, as part of the consolidation Kroger is already estimating 100-375 store closures! This will result in overcrowding in stores, higher frequency of food not on shelves (as local inventory has halved, whilst demand didn’t decrease), lost jobs, lost tax revenue, blighted commercial developments, lost opportunities for the smaller businesses which depend on the store’s high traffic within the shopping centers they have established themselves within…  In addition, rural areas will face food insecurity when they go from two grocery stores in the town, to just one. This is a terrible decision for the entire state, and will only benefit the corporation by increasing revenue/profits at the expense of convenience, and violating national trade restrictions."
8/1/23 11:41:15	85375	"I disagree with the merger of Kroger (Fry's) and Albertsons/Safeway two of the largest groecey chains in the state.   Living in Sun City West this will result in the closure of 1 or 2 local grocery stores.   This will not result in lower prices to consumers, it will continue to build on food and consumer monopolies to the detriment of consumers.   Prices always go up (cable TV, cellular service, etc.) and never drop as the companies say they will.  The correct response to this merger is no."
8/1/23 11:50:07	85027	"Safeway has already acquired Albertsons and that has caused grocery varieties to decline. Further, Kroger is already massive so these two grocery chains combining together will only encourage anti-competitive behavior. Grocery prices are going to be fixed and I won't be able to enjoy the competition that's currently in the marketplace. This deal cannot go through."
8/1/23 11:50:47	86409	I want you to sue to stop the Wall Street Venture Capitalist Monopoly Take over of our Grocery store choice. I live in a dead zone for grocery shopping. We have very few choices to begin with and I do not usually shop at The Smiths store (Kroger) because its dirty they are downsizing their products not offering as many healthy choices its all corporate Junk food. They have been deleting most organics too. I worry about my friends who are employed in the grocery business and I cant afford to supply another greedy Wall Street CEO or BOD with a Billion dollar annual bonus as I struggle to put food and household items on my table.  Please Kris sue them stop this I am so glad I voted for you enough is enough with all this greed. Thank You Ms. Linda F. Eaton         ollar bonus.t
8/1/23 11:52:59	85205	"Allowing fries and Albertsons to merge is an absolutely terrible idea. It would essentially give them a monopoly on the grocery stores in the state. They will inevitably close multiple locations when the stores are close enough to be in competition with each other instead of keeping both stores open which will lead to a loss of taxes, a loss of jobs, and it would also allow allow them to continue engaging in the current price gouging that is going on. yeah baby this is as far as they bend"
8/1/23 11:56:47	85257	To me the government doesn't follow the Sherman antitrust act and it's going to eliminate competition and the poor people are going to get stores closed higher prices cuz right now Kroger's last Fry's food is higher than Albertsons on most stuff and since they're going to buy them out we're going to be in a pickle with higher prices and I don't want the people to lose their jobs anymore or empty buildings are governments not doing the right thing by doing this and we're going to get into a recession soon and it's all a better ready so please block it I wish I could write to the president tell him don't you follow the German antitrust act
8/1/23 11:59:36	85033	Please do as much as possible to stop any larger merger! Most products are already owned by the same companies and having all the major stores in as a monopoly will further reduce  checks and balances. We already have a major cost of living crisis. Im mid career and I can barely afford to live here. If things don’t change I will have to move but my industry is vital to the state. Only people in tech can afford to live and eat here soon.
8/1/23 12:00:35	85234	"It is essential that this merger be blocked. Competition is the key to ensure high quality products for the consumer at an affordable price. We do not need a monopoly on such a basic human need.  No matter what is promised, mergers always reduce locations and jobs to streamline profits. Our state needs to stand behind are working residents and the ability to support their families. "
8/1/23 12:00:40	85008	"I am strongly opposed to this merger. Safeway and Albertsons merged, reducing competition; for Kroger to own both brands, it would all but eliminate any competition in the grocery store market. This would place an unfair burden on us as consumers; Krogers and Safeway are the two primary grocery stores in my area, and their prices ahve spiked up dramatically in the past 2 years. I fear that a merger would create an even greater inequity, allowing Krogers to charge whatever they wanted. Please do not allow this merger to go through. for the sake of customers like myself in lower-income areas."
8/1/23 12:08:54	85258	"This merger would be disastrous for Arizona.  The number of jobs that would be eliminated from the corporate level all the way down to the store level personnel would be in the thousands.  All the local broker partners would suffer as well, and this could potentially put some of the smaller companies out of business.  This also affects the consumer because with consolidation they have less choices, store closures and more than likely higher prices.  Bottom line, Arizona would not benefit from this type of merger/monopoly.  "
8/1/23 12:09:04	85207	I think it would be a disaster. 
8/1/23 12:14:29	85374	I say no merger.. competition holds prices down for the consumer 
8/1/23 12:26:39	85249	"I am against the mega merger as this will only reduce competition, selection and lock in high pricing. We are already at the mercy of grocery stores ruling farmers to add costs to their farming from corporate grocery store propaganda and bureaucracy. Service is already at an all time low and reducing competition will only make customer service worse. "
8/1/23 12:27:44	85308	"How is it possible in 2023 that folks don’t understand what happens in an economy where one particular sector becomes monopolized by one corporate ownership. The people lose… every single time. How can you even CONSIDER allowing Kroger to purchase Albertsons/Safeway. Other than Walmart, that’s it basically.. at least in my area.. I do not do large scale family shopping at Trader Joe’s. Please pull the plug on this Kroger acquisition attempt, Thank you."
8/1/23 12:32:00	85373	"No to merger! No grocery monopoly. How soon have AZ people forgotten that there used to be Abco, Smith's, Smitty's, and others that Kroger ate up. They are removing competition and claim it's good news. We need more grocery store options, not less"
8/1/23 12:33:06	85281	I'm afraid gonna lose my job... Because I work for Safeway and I noo how fry's is also worked for !Kroger dont  care about no 1!.. Either does Albertsons if u haven't been there for yr ..both places !
8/1/23 12:38:52	85303	I do not think the merger of Kroger and Albertson’s/Safeway will be beneficial. I believe it will give Kroger a monopoly on the market here in the westside where there are already few other grocery stores. Every single week I go to both stores because their sales are separate and beneficial. Closing safeway would mean my bill will go up and what promises can Kroger give in writing that less competition will bring my grocery bill down? I also work about abandoned building in parts of town where the stores are close like Litchfield and Waddell
8/1/23 12:39:15	85054	"I am writing regarding the proposed Albertsons-Kroger merger. Both are major US grocery chains. In 2022 it was reported Albertsons had over 2% market share, and Kroger over 5.5%. If you exclude warehouse grocers, who often carry limited produce, and options - merging them would create a near monopoly for middle and low income households who rely on them for groceries which could harm consumers. As competing maverick grocery chains that focuses on low prices and regular deals, as well as a breath of options, merging them can reduce competition and the impetus to serve the lower income communities. As a mid range grocery (more generally) anti-competion could also lead to less competition and price fixing - which would raise already high grocery prices for middle income consumers. This merger is very likely to not benefit the people, so please don't let it pass."
8/1/23 12:48:38	85281	"I am opposed to the merger of Kroger with Albertsons/Safeway.  We need more competition in the marketplaces, especially now with stagnant pay and and shrinkflation."
8/1/23 13:00:37	85260	"Safeway/Albertsons and Fry’s offer different produce, deli brands, etc. I shop all of the stores because I like the CHOICE! NO MONOPOLIES in anything!! PLEASE stop this and protect the consumer instead of making Big Business CEOs ridiculously richer. "
8/1/23 13:08:29	85255	"I feel this merger would have a negative impact on prices. Also, would this not be a monopoly, which is not supposed to be allowed in this country. They say it would make things cheaper but I'm sick of trusting companies, especially when we as consumers would have little alternatives. The corporation would be able to charge whatever they want with nothing stopping them."
8/1/23 13:09:05	85143	"MONOPOLY - This is wrong to allow a monopoly to be created which, in effect, can thwart competition and allow them to set whatever prices they want.  This is a bad idea and should not be approved."
8/1/23 13:14:26	85254	"I'm TOTALLY against the merger of Kroger & Albertson's since I mostly shop Safeway (Tatum/Greenway) and more than once, I wanted to buy advertised meat products but was told by the butcher, I'd need to buy it from the closest Albertson's since Safeway doesn't always gets supplied with said, advertised product! I understand some Safeway checkers are unionized while not so with Albertson employees!  Needless to say, why would we want yet ANOTHER merger when Albertson/Safway  way  "
8/1/23 13:16:53	85351	"Groceries are already more expensive at Fry's and Safeway than other places, but they still compete with each other. When Albertson bought Safeway it eliminated one competitor. Safeway employees were not happy. Now they propose to eliminate another one. It will not be good for the employees or customers. "
8/1/23 13:23:45	85383	"BAD Idea to allow the merger. Without separate companies there will be no real competition in groceries. Frys and Safeway/Albertsons are the major players. All the other grocers are small specialty grocers (sprouts, Trader Joe’s, aldis, even bashes). NO good for the consumers if this merger is allowed "
8/1/23 13:35:22	85338	"This merger would be a mistake in my opinion. The companies claim it would be a benefit to consumers, when in reality it would only be beneficial to them. This merger would result in less competition, which is an incentive to keep prices lower. With this merger they would be able to pretty much name their price!  What are our other options? Bashas, Winco, Sprouts? "
8/1/23 13:37:59	85282	The state of Arizona should sue to block this merger. The government has failed to protect its citizens and enforce its own anti trust and insider trading laws for far too long. All the economic data we have tell us that the high cost of living today isn’t due to wages or supply chain issues it’s is due to corporations fulfilling their sole duty to generate shareholder return. Normally that would be fine but in an industry that lacks competition it’s a recipe for screwing over the public. The state of Washington is holding chicken producers accountable for price fixing and the consolidation of the industry into a handful of mega corporations made it possible. We cannot let a staple like grocery stores become monopolized in a similar way. We also need to consider the Arizonans who will lose their jobs in the inevitable layoffs. We also need to consider what kind of activity will happen at large abandoned former locations. Is that what we want for our communities? I think the simple answer is of course not. That is why we must stop this merger.
8/1/23 13:38:41	85204	Don’t let this merger happen. Fry’s/Kroger prices are too high and it will just ruin Albertsons/Safeway stores. I was originally from Ohio and not many there liked Kroger. Block the merger.
8/1/23 13:57:57	85254	Under no circumstances should this merger be allowed. I routinely control my budget by shopping for deals at each grocery store. If they merge then they have the same sales and I can't do that so even if we pretend for an instant they won't just raise prices when they have a monopoly it will absolutely raise prices because there will be fewer options for discounts. I saw this one Albertsons got swallowed up. I used to be able to buy what I needed that week had a discount by going to any one of three grocery stores and now I often have to pay higher prices because neither of the two remaining stores has a sale
8/1/23 14:03:26	85392	"We need more competition and not less. More and more of our world is controlled by fewer and fewer companies. We have anti-trust legislation, start using it. This deal is awful for consumers and will result in lower wages, higher prices and fewer options. Don't allow it. "
8/1/23 14:23:25	85541	This merger is NOT necessary for either corporation and should be blocked because of competition issues. Both of these large grocers and thrive on their own. It would not be advantageous for consumers.
8/1/23 14:26:01	85226	"I am opposed to the merger. Any savings will come from discontinued corporate and warehouse facilities and staff. Combined advertising would see a reduction. I don't see a big impact from ability to negotiate lower prices with vendors. I belive this is already maximized at both companies. I'm sure there is a return on investment requirement. Anything that can't be gained by lower costs must be made up by higher prices. Also, workers will have fewer options. This does not benefit the consumer."
8/1/23 14:26:27	85201	"As with all things merging and becoming bigger - banks, corporations, the internet, government, etc. - the claim is that it's always better for the consumer. But how? Higher fees, less choice, a company mentality that turns against the people it was supposed to serve... Look at Walmart to see how it has failed the consumer in its quest for the almighty dollar: their business model based upon founder Sam Walton's belief about what entails good and sensible business is but a distant memory now. You don't see any of the standards Sam Walton held dear. I hope Attorney-general Mayes takes this under consideration. Big company mentality doesn't actually produce more jobs or better people's lives. Big company mentality seeks it's own, more often than not over the lives of its customers and employees. With grocery prices already so high, a merger, in time, will squeeze the people even more out of their hard-earned money. Please don't let this happen!"
8/1/23 14:28:28	85053	Absolutely NOT in favor. Kroger already high prices the way it is and this would be 10x worse. Not enough competition the way it is with grocery chains.
8/1/23 14:34:23	85020	I feel bad he merger will adversely effect residents. It will limit competition and could possibly eliminate jobs. Competition helps to control prices which is good for everyone. 
8/1/23 14:44:56	85004	A buyout will reduce competition. Phoenix is growing incredibly & we need competition for the increased population to benefit 
8/1/23 15:06:22	85251	"Another merger, but it seems the consumer always loses. These are two very profitable companies, if they separate, as they are now, they will still be two very profitable companies. When is ever enough for these large companies.  The greed is getting exhausting for the consumers.  If this merger goes through I feel stores will close, we saw that in the state when Albertsons merged with Safeway, jobs are lost and the only winners always are the companies. Please do what you can to stop this for all of the consumers. Thank you for even taking on this issue. "
8/1/23 15:26:02	85050	"I not in favor of a merger between Kroger and Albertson’s and appreciate the states' Attorney Generals seriously looking into this and asking for public opinion. It would create a monopoly, thus allowing them to raise prices and taking away the competition in pricing for the consumer. It would also discourage other stores from opening stores in the state. There are few enough choices in AZ already, because of how big Kroger and Albertsons are - they've already pushed out or taken over many other stores."
8/1/23 15:26:56	85266	"I am very much opposed to the Kroger/Safeway merger. Don’t believe them when they say it will lead to lower prices! Even now the consumer only gets lower prices for a great many items by having to purchase them in bulk. Having to purchase 5 or more of one or limited choices jist to get the lower prices. It leads to people purchasing more than needed and expiring before usage. I feel they are less accurate in their scanning process than their competitors and customer service is  closed half of the time to get it corrected. I strongly urge you to stopped this merger! Once it is allowed to happen their promises of lower prices and better service will go out the window. Corporation are constantly looking out for themselves rather than the customers to please their stock holders. Tje consumer is always the last in line. It has neen proven many times in the past with mergers taking away competition. Please ise common sense, which is so rare these days, and fight this merger to protect consumers for once. How refreshing would that actually be helping the little guy. Please give this deep thought. Thank you for allowing public comment on this important matter. . "
8/1/23 15:32:54	86251	Do not merger I want a choice when shopping. No competition in pricing just one big company. I vote NO thank you for doing this survey to hear my voice 
8/1/23 15:34:49	85207	"This merger would not only be a blow to consumers, particularly those in rural areas, but it is clearly a violation of the Sherman Anti-Trust Act. It would raise grocery prices even higher than they are now and many people, who can not afford to lose their jobs would."
8/1/23 15:41:03	88352	No this should not be allowed the rich only want to richer by raising the already unbelievable prices of groceries at Albertsons and paying hardworking employees peanuts .iHope this doesn't happen it will be a sad day for workers and consumers
8/1/23 15:56:45	85306	"I am opposed to this Merger. Creating companies of this size lessens competition and creates Monopolies which hurt consumers because they lead to inefficiencies and lack of innovation. Smaller, home grown, companies are unable to compete. I feel that stores will close leaving empty buildings and job loss. The union could lose bargaining power to create better wages & benefits. "
8/1/23 16:11:37	86314	"A merger of Kroger and Albertsons would be a detriment to our community of Prescott Valley and surrounding more rural areas such as Dewey-Humboldt and Mayer.  In this growing area, we need more grocery store options, not less.  On the horizon, Prescott Valley has a large development of 650 homes and several new apartments adding well over 500 new units at least.  We are having a large influx of Californians & folks from other states as well. If we lose either our Fry's or our Safeway, the crowds, which are so overwhelming currently, will get much worse.  Also, our area does not have a thriving job market of good-paying employment.  Where would those workers who lose their jobs from combining stores  find employment with comparable pay? This merger  would have many more cons for us than pros.  Sue Kroger to prevent the burdensome results to the people of Arizona. Thank you.  "
8/1/23 16:13:26	85396	Please consider the fallout from this. Albertsons/Safeway merged and that’s fine. Having Fry’s gobble up their largest competitor is not going to serve the community well. Please do not approve this gargantuan shift in the grocery industry in Arizona. It will not be good for small communities or those of us who do not love shopping at Frys 
8/1/23 16:16:06	85086	"I am adjust this merger. There are few enough players in this game as it is, and reducing competition can only be good for lining the pockets of the people at the top of the chain. We, the consumers would see nothing but price hikes and more limited selection."
8/1/23 16:17:54	85257	"If they merge then where does all the food transfer to? The stores don't grow in size and then the time it takes to shop increases.those pushing the merger will promise the world to get this to happen, but there won't be any deterrent if it goes through and those promises are not kept. A very good example is when promised the cheapest power if the reactor was built. It never happens and the excuses go on and on. Please do not allow the merger. APS "
8/1/23 16:22:18	85013	"No merger...just creating a Monopoly.  We need diversity and choice.  I dislike Kroger and it's product line.  Safeway and Albertsons is a great store..works on ways to help consumers keep costs down.  Kroger brands own many other stores under their umbrella..they need to leave Safeway..Bashas and other ""smaller entities"" alone."
8/1/23 16:26:46	85383	"Please do everything you can to prevent this merger.  If approved people all over Arizona will have fewer stores in which to shop, with fewer products from which to choose, have to travel further to shop. Plus, we all will lose our power to exercise our freedom to choose where to shop.  Here’s a true example:  I have a Safeway a Fry’s and Albertsons within reasonable driving distance. But the Fry’s and Safeway are MUCH closer. But they’re smaller and likely marginally less profitable; while I can’t predict the future with absolute clarity, I can tell you that the much larger, most profitable, and FURTHER Albertsons will be the one store left open. Why should I lose my choices on where to shop just to line the pockets of the top 1% of the executives at this newly formed behemoth?  I shouldn’t. None of us in Arizona should. "
8/1/23 16:26:50	85207	This merger should not be allowed to happen! It would be a grocery store monopoly that would result in a huge amount of job loss as well as many empty buildings when locations are closed because both chains are located across the street from each other. Please do not let it happen!
8/1/23 16:28:01	86326	"Please NO!  We need diversity!  We need choices! Generally there is a noticeable difference in Cottonwood between Fry’s and Safeway, the latter being consistently more costly."
8/1/23 16:44:18	85254	"I urge the Arizona attorney general to take all legal measures necessary to stop this attempt to monopolize the grocery industry in Arizona and nationwide. If Kroger is allowed to acquire Albertson’s, essentially our only choices to buy groceries will be Kroger or Walmart, other than specialty grocers such as Sprout’s, Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods. These specialty stores do not have the selection and variety as larger grocery chains and are extremely expensive.  While the majority of our shopping is at Fry’s, often times they do not carry certain items or brands of products we buy. We then shop at Safeway. If they merge, Safeway will no longer be a shopping alternative.  This merger will result in lost jobs and empty storefronts. The old Albertson’s at Tatum and Shea and Frank Llyod Write and 101 are still vacant after Albertson’s acquired Safeway.  Then there is the inevitable result of higher prices that results from a lack of competition.     Please partner with the federal government to stop this attempted monopolization of our vital consumer food distribution supply chain."
8/1/23 16:46:46	85084	Kroger absolutely should NOT be allowed to merge with Albertsons and Safeway. It will become a monopoly and there will be no competition so prices will rise. Good prices are already at an all time high and people are struggling to feed their families. This merger is a HORRIBLE idea and should be stopped!!!
8/1/23 16:57:26	85260	I think this merger is terrible for Arizonans because there will not be any competition between grocery stores. 
8/1/23 17:06:25	85338	"This would be a large monopoly for one corporation. These stores are currently different in pricking and what would happen to the commercial buildings for those stores they would be closing? The employees? I highly doubt this large corporation would provide them severance packages. This seems like it would hurt the families who are still struggling the most- and giving large corporations more money, power and less for the AZ people. Unless they can show specifically how they are going to achieve this, their direction and how they will keep employees, I feel most are not on board."
8/1/23 17:27:29	85207	Capitalism works when there is competition.  I believe this merger would bring about higher prices and fewer shopping choices for the people of Arizona.
8/1/23 17:29:24	85392	Merger should not go thru.  It almost becomes a grocery monopoly in the valley.
8/1/23 17:35:50	85258	"When we arrived in the valley in 2008 we were pleasantly surprised how cost competitive food prices were - most likely due the myriad of companies.  When Safeway bought Albertsons, a “black shirt squad descended on Albertsons (3 to 4 people per aisle) to change the prices.  Periodically these squads return to “update” pricing.  The result - a 4 oz bottle of liquid smoke is $4.75 at Albertsons now. We came to Colorado for the summer and liquid smoke is 2/$4 here.  During the price gouging pandemic distilled water was 2.50 per gallon. I bought it at Sprouts for 1.39 during the pandemic. Albertsons has applied a Scottsdale premium to food prices due to Safeway ownership.  To assume the Kroger merger will be good for consumers is absolute fantasy.  This merger should be blocked unless many of the stores are spun off to give consumers competitive food prices again. "
8/1/23 17:36:07	85249	"We live in Chandler at Hunt Highway and Gilbert.  If this merger goes through, our fear is that they will close The Albertsons at the corner of Gilbert and Riggs. We protested the rezoning of the opposite corner from commercial to multi- family”luxury” apartments.  That project has taken over 2 years.  We had no recourse against a casino right across the road…Hunt, from being built on Gila River Reservation.  The Albertsons is the anchor. Their proximity, better pricing, and smaller footprint appeal to our 55+ community residents. If this closes, the center will fall apart, go to ruin, and we will be forced To go further and pay more for our groceries.  Our property values are already compromised by theApartments and casino.  The loss of our corner retail center will further the decline.  Historically, mergers like this do not lower prices,  jobs are lost and it leaves neighborhoods like ours in worse shape.  Please try to block this merger."
8/1/23 18:03:14	85383	"I don’t like the idea of a monopoly here  in th state of ARIZONA. It will leave us with less choices for food, groceries. I’m hoping this merger is stopped. Wielding too much power when one company controls all the market in one area. , "
8/1/23 18:09:18	85003-1112	I've found that across the board Fry's is almost always more expensive for basic food times then either Safeway or Albertsons.  I would assume that when the merger goes through they will immediately jack up the price at all of the remaining stores to the equivalent of what fry's currently charges or even more.  This merger should not be allowed to continue. 
8/1/23 18:09:56	85303	"I'm very concerned about a possible merger between Kroger and Albertsons/Safeway.  I feel like we already lost some variety when Safeway and Albertsons merged.  To have Kroger added to that makes me feel like we will only have two major retail choices (Kroger/Safeway/Albertsons and Walmart).  Bashas/Food City, Sprouts, Whole Foods, Aldi don't seem like the major grocery stores.  We don't have Whole Foods or Aldi conveniently located near the 85303 zip code.  Even Sprouts isn't that convenient.  I'm sure they would likely close stores, which affects employment even more than the self checkouts - which I avoid as much as possible because I'd rather deal with a person and I've already worked at my own job.  I don't need to do the grocery stores job too!  I don't think this is a good idea at all.  We have enough monopoly agencies we can't do anything about (Cox, SRP, APS, SWGas).  Even though they say it would create more efficiency and lower costs I don't believe that.  Corporations tend to be greedy and want to make as much as they can.  I don't think this merger is a good idea."
8/1/23 18:12:28	85266	"The combination of the two U.S. supermarket giants could have a three-pronged effect, resulting in doom for some, gloom for others, and a boom for still others.  It could mean thinner margins for smaller, independent stores and some suppliers; more competition for larger players, and a possible boom for consolidation in the future.  So what does the deal mean for the F&B industry, the two companies, competitors, suppliers, and consumers?  Watch out, Walmart? The world’s biggest retailer may be looking over its shoulder soon. The Kroger-Albertsons mega-merger would create a company with about 5,000 U.S. stores, a close second to Walmart’s 5,335 in the United States. The deal could create “a more formidable competitor to its largest competitor, Walmart,” according to Arun Sundaram, of CFACFA -0.1% Research. How big beyond store count will the new multi-billion-dollar company be in this food fight  Kroger and Albertsons together in fiscal ‘21 racked up $210 billion in revenue and $3.3 billion in net earnings, according to Supermarket News. Robert Ohmes of Bank of AmericaBAC -1.2% Securities said that Kroger and Albertsons combined, before any store closings, would control about 19 percent of U.S. grocery market share. Walmart already controls 25 percent, or 30 percent including Sam’s Club. Costco controls another 9 percent. That means the top three grocers would control more than half of the sector. That’s a lot of people relying on just a handful of companies, and it would mean a few players as huge forces. It also could mean a stronger second nipping at the heels of Walmart.  While Kroger-Albertsons would be a big deal, it would be very different from either Amazon AMZN -1.5% or Walmart, which control only a few brands. Kroger and Albertsons each already control multiple retail brands, creating the illusion of a large number of independent players. This deal would put all these brands in one basket.  In addition to stores with the company name, Kroger controls Ralphs, Dillons, Smith’s, King Soopers, Fry’s, QFC, City Market, Owen’s, Jay C, Pay Less, Baker’s, Gerbes, Harris Teeter, Pick N’ Save, Metro Market, Mariano’s, Fred Meyer, Food 4 Less and Foods Co.  In addition to company stores, Albertsons operates Safeway, Vons, Jewel-Osco, Shaw’s, Acme, Tom Thumb, Randalls, United Supermarkets, Pavilions, Star Market, Haggen, Carrs, Kings Food Markets and Baldacci’s Food Lovers Market.  Another huge grocery retailer could put more pressure on smaller players and change the balance of power in working with suppliers. The nation’s top two retailers would control more than 70% of the grocery market in over 160 cities, according to Stacy Mitchell, of the Institute for Local Self-Reliance. The new entity would mean some competitors’ stores might close, “as more local grocers are driven out of business,” Mitchell said.  According to Greg Ferrara of the National Grocers Association, the merger could give “a single supermarket giant” additional control over “the nation’s food supply chain.” This could lead to even tougher competition for smaller stores, although Kroger and Albertsons argue it could lead to better prices for consumers.  “A merger would not only put smaller competitors at an unfair disadvantage, but also increase anticompetitive buyer power over grocery suppliers, which ultimately would harm consumers,” Ferrara said. Mitchell said the new entity would have more clout in dealing with farmers, food workers and local grocers.  Boom  Kroger Chairman and CEO Rodney McMullen says the deal “brings together two purpose-driven organizations to deliver superior value to customers, associates, communities and shareholders.” It could be part of a consolidation wave as companies continue to grow by merger.  “I believe this merger is the beginning of a trend and that we could see more consolidation,” according to Ken Fenyo, of Coresight Research. Coresight’s report on regional consolidation of grocery chains showed that from 2015 to 2020 M&A"
8/1/23 18:58:25	85032	"I personally feel that if the 2 companies were to merge that it would become a monopoly in the grocery food store industry. As it is, we do not have much choice or variety of stores to choose from. They would have almost complete control over pricing of groceries. And I don't think that local grocery chains such as Bashas would be able to compete.I just see it as a loose loose for us. As consumers to have these 2 huge conglomerates merge together into one very large conglomerate. I am hoping that someone with some authority would see the harm it would cause us, the consumers and I thank you for taking the time to listen to us."
8/1/23 19:03:00	85032	"I think this merge is a horrible mistake. It was bad enough when Kroger bought Smith and Smitty back when. Then Safeway and Albertsons' merger.  If Kroger buys Albertsons/Safeway it will be a disaster. We already have limited choice. Also, Bash's will not survive, they cannot compete, they're already barely making it. WinCo will not be able to compete either. Let's not even mention Aldi. It's not a practical store, it's not for family shopping. Please do not approve this merger, PLEASE"
8/1/23 19:42:40	85254	I don’t think this is a good idea. It would take away any competition and would be a monopoly in grocery.  I don’t believe it when they say no jobs will be loss how is that possible.   Please stop this merger.  I also think that the workers will suffer with their pay increasing times are so hard now and we are fighting to get better wages now if they merge the control too much.  Please stop the merger.  Thank you 
8/1/23 19:42:52	85225	"The merger of Kroger and Albertsons would hurt Arizonans. It would make it so that they're is no major competitor for grocery supermarkets in too many regions, and thus our prices would soar with no real control over quality. "
8/1/23 19:44:40	85257	"This would be a travesty, eliminating competition entirely. The Fry's near me was built in the 1950's before the area population sextuplet with more Californians coming every day.  You can't move in the store. . Is the meged company committing to build new stores in south Scottsdale, or anywhere else? Or will they be closing down existing markets?  I am vehemently opposed to this merger as it will impact food prices and quality of life in a major way. One of the reasons I moved to Arizona 12 years ago was the beneficial competition between markets. This merger would wipe that out in one fell swoop, giving Kroger a monopoly. Do not let this happen!"
8/1/23 20:05:49	85085	Please do NOT allow a merger. A monopoly will cause higher prices at the grocery store and job loss for employees of all companies involved. Grocery costs are way too high already and no one should be losing jobs! Please do Not let this merger happen! Thank you! 
8/1/23 21:43:27	85382	The merger should not be allowed in order to prevent store closures and to ensure competitive pricing. Alone in my neighborhood there is an Albertsons and Fry’s across the street from one another. Most certainly we would expect a store closing causing more empty retail space. Would this merger not be close to a monopoly? How would the chain be held accountable to not raise prices with limited competition? 
8/1/23 21:49:13	85718	"Historically and as precedence shows, competition is best for economies and for quality, keeping prices affordable and offering choices for consumers, which studies show increases spending....In this situation I am wondering how it even got this far to bein almost every state, and I think perusing what happened elsewhere would be prudent and telling...So you see where I am going with this, but I agree with a recent interview with Henry Kissinger re Ukraine/Russia and their dual grain exports...new models of thinking need to be considered in these much more complicated times...I have suggestions if you'd care to contact me..i'm in Tucson"
8/1/23 22:17:10	85207	"I think is would be a devastating for Arizona families. When it comes to grocery store options here is Arizona we do not have many. Most are owned by the large grocery corporations. If this deal pasted, this would leave Arizonans with higher grocery bills. Let’s keep Arizonans with options when it comes down to where we want to spend our money. Kroger is a mega corporation that needs to be stopped. "
8/1/23 22:20:51	85207	Terrible idea. Do not let this mega corporation take away your right of choice. Stop this deal and think about the millions of Arizonans that would be affected by this devastating deal. 
8/1/23 23:06:59	85044	"Please, do not  allow  this  merger to transpire. Kroger (Fry's) has become a behemoth already in Arizona. Prices at their stores have become so unbearable, that our family has stopped shopping there. I believe that once Albertson's/Safeway is taken over and eliminated,our choices of grocery store choices in Phoenix and the rest of Arizona will be meager. The price of groceries will skyrocket, even more than the high prices we are paying now."
8/1/23 23:39:46	85259	I oppose this merger. I fear that it would close stores and eliminate competition and competitive pricing. It would also create a monopoly. I always thought monopolies were not allowed. Do whatever can be done to stop this merger.
8/1/23 23:40:26	85251	I AM AGAINST THE MERGER
8/1/23 23:47:46	85382	I think these two big companies should not be merged.  Supply of goods will be monopolized and prices will go up. 
8/2/23 0:45:25	85032	"I feel this is a very dangerous merger. There are claims that it will allow the brands to use their greater combined leverage to keep prices low for the consumer, but in fact it will do exactly the opposite. They will be able to essentially price gouge whatever they want. And make no mistake - they WILL. "
8/2/23 6:03:24	85501	"Kroger (Fry's) in Globe already discriminates against those without internet access and single person homes. Packaging keeps getting larger and it's now even impossible to buy a single potato. Brand name products are disappearing in favor of store brands. If our Safeway disappears, Globe will be left with only our small WalMart as an alternative grocery store. Please help stop this merger."
8/2/23 6:19:15	86326	I am against the merger. It would be devastating to the small communities like mine where these two companies are the main stores in the town. 
8/2/23 6:44:13	85283	"I oppose the merger of Kroger and Albertson’s in Arizona. When Safeway and Albertson’s merged we lost one grocery store in the neighborhood. The one that was walking distance for me. I am a multi store shopper and this is what I have noticed. Kroger (Fry’s) ads are usually not as good as Albertsons and Bashas. Fry’s store app for coupons is not as user friendly as Albertson’s and Bashas. When getting cash back Fry’s charges 50 cents. Fry’s stores have narrowed their food selection over the last several years. Their prices have increased in a larger proportion than other grocery stores. Their customer service has gotten much worse over the years. When I had a broken shoulder a couple of years ago, they wouldn’t offer help at the checkout or loading groceries. I believe we deserve to have choices in our shopping. Especially with the increase in prices over the years we deserve to have good and fair competition in our neighborhoods when we buy our life basics."
8/2/23 7:27:04	85140	Monopoly is the word that describes this merger.  Competition  gives consumers a fair chance at fair pricing. No merger!
8/2/23 7:37:51	85215	"Very concerned about the Kroger/Albertson's meger. There is NO guarantee that costs would come down. Even if they did, the sale would be completed and the parent company could do whatever they wanted with pricing. Not to mention how many of the brands stores would be closed because now there are too many in the same geographic location. I believe in competition. I'm also concerned about the smaller grocery chains like Bashas/Food City and what might happen to them if the merger moves forward. The meger serves one purpose and that is the financial benefit to the parent company. "
8/2/23 7:54:14	85501	"I live in Globe, AZ, and oppose the proposed merger between Kroger and Albertsons because it will lead to increased prices and closed locations. In my small town, there is a Safeway (owned by Albertsons) in the old downtown, and a Frys (owned by Kroger) on the outskirts of town.  The Safeway is frequented by many people who live in and near the old downtown area, and who would have a tough time getting to the Frys location.  I fear that the Safeway would be closed if the merger goes through."
8/2/23 7:57:24	85248	"The three closest grocery stores to me (and many of the other ones near me) are Fry’s, Albertsons and Safeway. Albertsons and Safeway are already the same, and with prices of everything rising already I look at the weekly ads to figure out which one will save me more that week. If they all merge I will no longer have a choice of where to save more at and will be forced to pay whatever they set, or go out of my way to find a different grocery store. "
8/2/23 8:06:00	85041	I feel very strongly that Kroger and Frys should NOT merge. There would be a monopoly on groceries. Prices would be very similar. I shop both stores' specials to save money. Prices will rise and stay there. 
8/2/23 8:36:33	85042	"We are definitely against the merger of Fry's and Albertson's. Right now they compete with each other, giving the consumer a choice and a chance to shop where prices are lowest. Also Fry's/Kroger already owns a huge share of the market. I worry that this will only hurt consumers, especially those who can least afford it."
8/2/23 8:41:49	85353	"If they merge, how will I be able to fill my life needed medications?  Evernorth does not utilize Kroger/Frys and I currently fill my prescriptions at Safeway.  Will I have to find yet another location to fill them?  Will I need to travel even further?  This is not a good idea. "
8/2/23 9:05:18	85207	This is a power grab. I am 100% opposed to it. Competition among grocery stores will be severely impacted. There is no benefit to consumers or employees. It will line the pockets of corporate executives and shareholders. I have shopped primer at Fry’s for the past 20 years and have watched their business deteriorate to the point that I now look to purchase at smaller stores like Bashas and Sprouts. I have not been and don’t plan to became a Walmart shopper. 
8/2/23 9:30:54	85037	I am against the merger of Fry's and Albertson. Their competition keeps prices lower. As a person on social security we need lower prices. Fry's has systematically gone to store brands and eliminated name brands. I prefer name brands for some things. Without Albertsons I will have to drive 10 more miles to shop at Winco. Employees go out of their way at Albertson's to help you.
8/2/23 9:46:14	85286	"In order to keep competition alive in the Valley, Kroger and Albertsons should not be allowed to merge. It was concerning enough that Safeway and Albertsons were allowed to. "
8/2/23 9:51:27	85008	"Kroger already doesn't schedule us. They got rid of all the cashiers at one of their locations last week, and I'm sure more will follow. They don't run the air conditioning overnight, even last month when it was 100 degrees, so night crew is suffering. Rodney McMullen is a hack and a criminal who is running this company into the ground because he knows that there is no repercussion; the citizens of the country can't just *not* eat, and in the event that he prices out people to the point that they can't *afford* to eat, as we've been seeing lately, he knows the government will just bail him out."
8/2/23 9:58:29	85226	"I am opposed to this merger. Kroger has taken over Fry's already and it has led to dropping of some products I used to purchase, requirements to buy multiples of sale items rather than obtaining one at the reduced price, and closure of some stores. I hate the Fry's Marketplace close to my home since the Kroger takeover, and prefer to shop at Albertson's that's even a little closer. I'm sure that store would be closed given that it's only a mile away from the Fry's Marketplace and from a Safeway about a mile north of it. The reduction in stores will cause loss of jobs, loss of choice, and create a Kroger monopoly throughout much of Arizona. Thus, cost increases are sure to follow such a merger and loss of competition. "
8/2/23 10:10:11	85007	"The only way I would support the proposed merger, is if they were required to sell off a good portion of their stores here in AZ to a new or expanding affordable grocery chain - not whole foods. This would provide an opportunity to combat price increases."
8/2/23 10:14:54	85283	"I was unable to attend your public session concerning the Kroger/Albertsons merger, however, I am strongly against it.  Kroger has bought out grocery chain before (Smiths/Smittys) and if successful in this merger would probably raise prices as there would be very little competition for them.  "
8/2/23 11:09:54	85377	"Please appose this merger. It will only cause prices to rise, due to less competition and cause some local grocery stores shut down."
8/2/23 11:11:50	85018	"I'm no legal expert, but by my understanding of section 7 of the Clayton Antitrust Act, this merger is a clear violation of the law and will only serve to hurt consumers in Arizona."
8/2/23 11:27:30	85706	"When Albertson’s took over Safeway they ruined Safeway.  Safeway was one of the best stores in town and is now one of the worst.  Prices increased when Albertson’s took over and quality went WAY DOWN.  Their cuts of meat are awful!  Loaded with fat to increase the weight and cost to consumer.  A London Broil is meant to be a steak and they are since the merger, selling them as a side of beef, 5”-6” thick.  Please do NOT allow this merger.  It will be awful for AZ consumers.  I have complained about products disappearing and about the cuts of meat and nothing gets done… the butchers have all said, “ I know, I know, that’s how they send them to us. I’m so sorry, it’s corporate!”  Please stop this merger.  AZ consumers cannot afford it.  Thank you for your time and consideration."
8/2/23 11:49:08	86001	"I’m against the merger because it will result in a monopoly of grocers in Flagstaff. Fry’s is currently the only competitive store equal to Albertsons/Safeway. If they merge, the resulting company will not have any competition; no challenges to pricing. Flagstaff will be held hostage to the prices set by the corporate giant."
8/2/23 12:35:01	85339	"Please do what you can to block this merger! We currently have a Kroger and Safeway at the same intersection. Their competing sales and prices help tremendously in keeping our food costs lower and I fear without that competition food prices will go up even higher. And worse, I fear that one of the stores may have to close because of their proximity. We already have overcrowded stores and food desert situations. With the difficult market for retailers to develop in our community, less access to grocery stores would be damaging.  "
8/2/23 13:24:17	85361	"The merger between Kroger and Albertsons would leave us with almost no choices! The customer service in Fry’s is abhorrent now because corporate has them scaled way back, meaning we already spend more time in the store than we should because they have so few employees. Their prices have also risen so much already that with almost no competition they will have free rein to charge whatever they want. Please stop this for the Arizona consumer! "
8/2/23 13:29:50	85050	As long as the deals are great. It doesn't matter to me. 
8/2/23 13:53:32	85013	"As an Arizona resident, I oppose the Kroger-Albertson Merger. We need to prioritize the needs of our community and small businesses. We don't want to monopolize our food sources, and create more food deserts. "
8/2/23 14:18:27	85297	I think it will raise grocery prices. Less competition.
8/2/23 14:30:56	85020	illegal termination victom of safeway - terminated for disability: have no say. i siggest to find out abuto epa for managers
8/2/23 16:26:41	85234	"The CEO’s of these companies are being disingenuous. It’s what they aren’t saying that should be exposed. First of all they won’t close stores but the FTC should they approve of the merger will require them to close or sell stores. Secondly … no they won’t lay off people. Here is what will happen. Between both companies in AZ part time employees make up 85 percent of their work force. The employees in stores that close will move to other stores. Just because an Albertsons or Frys closes doesn’t mean all those shoppers will just shop at another Frys, Albertsons or Safeway. So the labor they give the stores will not be enough to make all the part timers happy. There will be an overage of help. People will start quitting because they can’t get enough hours. That will not show up as a lay off but that’s exactly what it is. Notice the CEO’s keep talking about how they will continue to take care of their customers… of course they will. But they are barely mentioning what they are doing to help their employees. Lastly forget all the huge numbers they are tossing around about lowering prices over the past 20 years. So what !! That’s what companies do to stay competitive. FYI anyone who has worked for the company over a year is guaranteed 20 hours. Less than a year they only have to give 4 hours. In order to qualify for health insurance employees must work 88 hours a month. A lot of people are going to lose their health insurance and then their jobs because they can’t afford to live on 20 hours a week. Sadly the CEO’s have stated that should the merger not get approved they will file suit against the government. "
8/2/23 19:01:22	85295	"I don't think this is a good idea.  We need competition in the market place so that no company/store has a monopoly to control products, prices, etc.  Please do not allow this merger to happen. "
8/2/23 19:14:19	85210	I feel this proposed merger is contrary to the interests of Arizona consumers - it would basically remove almost all competition from grocery pricing because it would eliminate almost all competition in that space 
8/2/23 19:45:42	85257	"Monopolies are illegal so I say NO! Consumers deserve choices and there needs to be ""competition"" so things are somewhat affordable."
8/2/23 20:26:06	85022	"Definitely against a merger. It would be anti competitive and lead to store closures and layoffs.  We have seen what these consolidations do to communities and how vulnerable it makes the supply chain. For example, look at the recent baby formula crisis because we let most of our US formula come from one company.  Please do not approve this."
8/3/23 0:12:32	85035	"The advantage of a competitive market place is not only lower prices. Having a wide variety of vendors also improves diversity of  merchandise to the consumer. This has a direct impact on public health. Combining Kroger with Safeway/Albertson's creates an unfair advantage over the remaining grocery chains in AZ. I am concerned the merger would create an outright monopoly in towns/smaller cities, eliminating competition. In metropolitan areas it could create similar pockets, as well.  The margins in grocery products are already thin. I am concerned that this new mega-chain could squeeze competitors out of business, & over time take over even a larger market share, intensifying their control over the food chain.  I depend upon having the current options to keep my diet diverse and within budget.  Any chance that threatens to narrow the number of those sellers threatens both."
8/3/23 11:25:13	chandler	"One issue I was going to bring up regarding the merger is gasoline prices.  Because of the number of Fry’s/Safeway gas stations (not only in Arizona, but across the country) the two companies sell an enormous amount of gasoline.  For example, in my hometown of Louisville, Ky., Kroger (Fry’s parent) moves prices daily/hourly from its national headquarters in Cincinnati due to market events.   I don’t know if you’re aware but there seems to be some sort of price fixing going on in the Phoenix metro area.  Why is it that our gas prices are much higher than in northern Arizona where truckers must haul the gasoline.  Until recently gasoline prices are almost always higher in northern Arizona than in Phoenix, even when you discount that metro Phoenix requires a special blend during part of the year (winter time).  But right now prices are tens of cents higher in Phoenix.  If Kroger merges with Safeway it’s likely there will be an even greater influence on local gasoline prices.  I haven’t been able to find out a good reason why the metro Phoenix prices are so much higher than northern Arizona.  I under why southern Arizona they were lower because it gets at least half of its gasoline from New Mexico or Texas where prices are lower than California where metro Phoenix obtains its gasoline."
8/3/23 12:17:42	85020	This should NEVER be allowed and does NOT have any benefits that outweigh anti-trust and labor concerns. Less competition never benefits consumers experience has shown over and over again.
8/3/23 14:57:56	85018 	"This should NOT be allowed to happen. It would impede effective competition in the AZ retail grocery arena. This would hurt the AZ consumer irreparably. The courts should have stuck this deal down, but since they didn't I do hope you are able to."
8/3/23 15:01:56	85248	"BLOCK THIS MERGER! The merger would give Kroger-Albertson control of 50+% of the Arizona grocery market with 260 stores (contrasted with Walmart’s 113 stores). This will increase consolidation considerably with four chains owning 72% of the market. For Arizona, the Herfindahl-Hirschman Index (HHI) metric for consolidation will rise from 1,800 (moderate consolidation) to 2,500+ (high concentration).   That sort of market power always leads to suppression of wages. According to the Economic Policy Institute, 745,00 grocery worker wages will reduce by $334 Million ANNUALLY! In Arizona, the loss will be $12.5 million affecting 33,000 workers. When Albertsons merged with Safeway in 2015, they sold 146 stores to Haggen Co. only for Haggen to sell back many stores back to Albertsons at a fraction of the purchase price or they closed them in bankruptcy a year later because of deceptive anti-competitive practices by Albertsons after Haggen took ownership of the stores. Currently, Kroger-Albertsons will sell off 250 – 300 stores and will surely activate their prior tactics to destabilize a would-be purchaser to grab back the divested stores. Few, if any, purchasers could manage taking on so many stores at once. Kroger-Albertsons have all the competitive intelligence and marketing skill to ensure the sold-off stores would perform sub-par. Finally, farmers/producers and consumers will suffer. I first went to Safeway about a year ago. I was literally shocked by their EYE-POPPINGLY high prices compared to Frys. I genuinely thought I was at AJs or Whole Foods. This is why Frys wants to buy Safeway because consumer choice will be so reduced, they can RATCHET-UP FRY’s PRICES MUCH CLOSER TO SAFEWAY’s and SAFEWAY CAN RATCHET-UP TO WHOLE FOODS prices. Ms. Mayes…. This is a No-Brainer. STOP. THIS. MERGER. NOW!"
8/3/23 16:02:12	85387	I think it would monopolize the food market in Arizona. And I don’t agree with it.
8/3/23 18:34:52	85225	"No, the merger is not a good idea, in my opinion. It would create a monopoly,  run small grocery stores out of business. Usually it is competition that keeps prices lower for consumers.  I live across the street from Fry's grocery store.  I won't shop there anymore. They've become less consumer friendly in the past several years,  and I'm done doing business there. I feel that this large merger would not be beneficial to consumers here in Arizona.  "
8/3/23 22:19:02	85383	I oppose the merger as it creates a monopoly on our grocers. I believe that there is value in diversity. A merger would extinguish competition to offer the consumer the best value and quality for their goods.
8/4/23 3:39:47	85712	"The cost of the merger will be passed on to consumers. They will raise their prices which are already inflated due to the pandemic, and the consumers will have no choice. Walmart will be the only competitor, but they have fewer locations. Whenever Albertsons/Safeway have sales, they also have limits on each sale item. Albertsons and Safeway have very few customers, mainly because their prices are higher than Fry's, which is a very busy store. Wasn't the Safeway-Albertsons merger enough? When will they stop? "
8/4/23 10:14:47	85282	Kroger buying Albertsons will only hurt consumers as prices at the grocery are already high due to inflation. 
8/4/23 13:09:04	85310	"Please block the merger in regards to the Kroger/Albertsons merger. It would have a huge effect on budgets. As a senior, even more. Take ads from both stores on a weekly basis, and see how typically prices are higher at a Kroger store. Albertsons gives a choice as to how to use the just 4 points, where Kroger's doesn't. Last, a comment on their fuel point systems. On August 1st, I went to use what should have been available, no points showed for August. I have so far reached out to Krogers to question the disappearance of the points> They have not been quick to resolve nor restore the issue and as I type this on 8/4/2023 the points are still missing.."
8/4/23 16:01:38	85375	"Please, no more mergers!!  We here in Arizona would be down to only two main grocery stores, with two or three other small specialty stores who sell groceries.  Then there is Target and Walmart who have some groceries within their stores.  Albertsons and Safeway already merged, so if Kroger merges with Albertson, then Arizona would be down to only two main, large, stand alone grocery stores.  And could this only be the beginning of mergers throughout the grocery store business throughout the country?  alone     s     specialty stores "
8/5/23 15:10:10	85258	"This proposed merger will raise grocery prices by unreasonably depriving consumers of the benefits of competition,"
8/5/23 15:16:20	85282	"We are against the merger of Albertson-Kroger for many reasons already stated.   Even with 3 Fry's & 2 Safeway stores within our normal driving distance, we've seen less choice & limited cost competition the last 2 + years.   We no longer have a Basha's within 5 miles (& since that local ownership was bought out by a California chain, they provide no price competition).    A Sprouts store & a new Aldi's also provide no price competition.    Being in an urban area with multiple stores doesn't provide help with costs or choice.   A merger of the 2 largest chains will only make matters worse -- for both urban & small-town citizens.           en though we live in Tempe & have 3 Kroger stores & 2 Safeways inside our normal driving area, product availability & choice differs store to store -- even within 1 chain.   I shop for price & choice; if these 2 chains merge, there will be no choice & no price competition.   We no longer have a Basha's store nearby (& that local business was bought out by a California chain anyway - leaving less competition).   A new store (Aldi's) is not price competitive, nor is a nearby Sprouts.    My family will be advrsely affected  on choice & on price "
8/5/23 15:36:26	85260	If this merger goes through it would impact consumers and employees in very negative way. 
8/5/23 21:37:46	85042	Will the stock holders have to wait to sell their stock? When safeway sold the stock holders started selling before we even knew anything. How is our 401k going to be handled? Will they put promises into writing before our union contract is up in October?  This is a major concern since it will affect their bottom line and future business deal.  
8/6/23 12:24:21	85053	"I am totally against this proposed merger.  It will result in a monopoly.  Fry's is already raising prices and it will be worse if there is no competition from Safeway/Albertson's.  Basha's and Winco are too small to make any threats!  Stop this merger, PLEASE!!!"
8/7/23 11:51:08	85301	"If Kroger and Albertsons are allowed to merge, I believe it will reduce the competitive pricing and reduce the ability of a family to stock up on items.  I believe it creates a monopoly in the industry.  I also believe it would cause stores to close leaving folks unemployed.  "
8/7/23 11:52:25		Absolutely against the merger. Nothing good for the consumer!! Prices of groceries will absolutely increase due to the monopoly formed by Kroger if they merge 
8/8/23 20:05:51	85006	"Arizona should stridently oppose the merger between Kroger and Albertsons. Arizona consumers depend on grocery stores for daily necessities, and any decrease in competition and availability of these vital stores should be treated with the utmost scrutiny and skepticism. The proposed Kroger-Albertsons merger is nakedly a ploy to increase profits and generate revenue for private equity shareholders. "
8/9/23 17:11:36	85042	"We have been in this community over 60 years. I remember when Frys tried coming in this community in the 70’s on 16th & Southern, after closing that store We The People welcomed them back decades later in 7th street & Baseline and 24th street & Baseline. When a community welcomes your business in their neighborhood Your company should treat that community with respect; NOT DO A TAKEOVER, & DESTROY THAT COMMUNITY. That is exactly what this will be. Your Pricing will be come extremely high! Chase away all the small business, because they will not have Kroger’s buying power! and the small Mom & Pop business will have to close!  We said No! to the Super Walmart in this community and We The People are saying NO! To Kroger BUYING OUT SAFEWAY/ ALBERTSONS!  Madam, Attorney General PLEASE! don’t let this guess in Our Community destroy The Value of Our Homes, The Values of Our Community, The Value of Our Feature"
8/9/23 20:24:52	85224	"As a private citizen of this great state, I am opposed to this merger wholly in that it will greatly reduce the amount of grocery stores in the Phoenix Metro area, but the quality will also wane.  There was at one time healthy vibrant competition in the supermarket catchment of Phoenix, with this merger, it will go down to two large chains.  Walmart and Kroger/Albertsons.  Bashas is a small, minor player.  There will be store closures and layoffs.  Big box stores are already hard to repurpose and this will just create a glut of empty anchored shopping centers.  Please oppose this merger AG Mayes! "
8/10/23 14:45:11	85051	This should be illegal.  The prices will skyrocket.  Especially for the elderly   and Family .  They are pricing us out of the food market.  Working families cant afford to feed our families.
8/12/23 17:49:35	85254	I am against the merger between Safeway and Fry’s. Those are the only two stores near me besides Walmart and a merger would likely mean higher prices for me and less choice. I’m on a fixed income and can’t afford it. 
8/12/23 20:46:23	85041	"This merger does not benefit consumers.  Why is this monopoly any different from that in any other industry?  It undercuts Capitalism by eliminating competition.  We keep going down the same road, only to turn around when it all backfires... i.e. sending all manufacturing overseas.  Everything I buy now is made in China!!  Now it's a big deal to return to ""made in America"".  Why not call all the grocery stores Krogers, or Albertsons or Safeways, so we all know what the game really it is.  Or, let's just call them all ""State Stores"" like in China since they have the same owner...no real difference! We seem to be in a trajectory of self destruction.  Anyway, I prefer Sprouts or Whole Foods, Trader Joe's, until one buys out the other!!  This does not even address the rise in prices and hardship for the food insecure.  Why care about them when Kroger can become a giant industry, monopoly, and control what we can afford to eat and our nutrition.  As it is, I refuse to pay the price for meats these days and live mostly on lentils and other vegetables.  Maybe we will become a nation of vegetarians and actually healthier...lower cholesterol and less obesity as prices rise. "
8/12/23 21:00:36	85254	I am against Kroger and Albertsons merger. 
8/14/23 9:05:08	85027	"The Arizona Attorney General's Office should pursue every avenue available to prevent the proposed Kroger and Albertson's merger. The Arizona grocery market has undergone considerable consolidation over the last twenty years resulting in fewer choices and higher prices for consumers in the area. Continued consolidation will reduce both the number of grocery outlets available to consumers as well as the variety of products carried in store. Additionally, Kroger has been at the forefront of reducing service levels in their stores, resulting in consumer frustration and fewer available jobs. Kroger should not be allowed to wholly dominate the grocery market in Arizona."
8/14/23 9:44:19	85755	"This SHOULD NOT happen. It would eliminate a close grocery store by us should they decide to close one fot hem due to the merger. They would no longer compete, it would raise prices, and be bad for consumers. "
8/15/23 17:23:39	85750	"I don't know anyone who thinks this merger would be good for Arizona. It would lower our access to a variety of food products. Look at New Zealand's current situation with 2 distribution companies, one from abroad, controlling the access to food for the entire nation. We don't want to have that happen in our state. Stand against this merger. It's what's best for Arizona. Thank you."
8/15/23 19:42:18	85747	"I am against the merger. It will just lead to fewer jobs, stores, and will increase prices on groceries. "
8/15/23 19:54:37	85015	It seems like all our shopping options s are being crushed out of existence by all the previous mergers that led us to only have 2 major brands already. This doesn’t seem like a good idea.
8/15/23 21:38:46	85053	"The closest grocery store to me is an albertsons, there is a larger Fry's further away, if merged it is very likely my local store would be closed down. I do not support this merger"
8/16/23 15:17:41	86001	"My husband and I oppose a merger of Kroger with Albertsons, which wd allow even less competition in pricing, and less groceries variety for us.  Merger cd also lead to job eliminations in Flagstaff, and less convenient store locations."
8/16/23 15:24:17	85042	"I disagree with this merger. This would make the 3 closest supermarkets to me all the same company. My family has special diatary needs that can't be covered by the selection of the other nearby stores. Kroger/Albertsons merger would be an monopoly for us, as we'd have to travel across town to find competitor."
8/16/23 16:51:18	85308	Please block this merger as it will put 99% of grocery stores in AZ under Kroger-Alberstons
8/17/23 9:14:28	85301	"I think the monopoly argument is somewhat valid and also somewhat moot because the 2 companies do have to evolve in order to compete with Walmart, Amazon and Costco in terms of price, I would not expect to see any actual lowering of prices. These companies already change prices on weekly sometimes daily basis. Of course there will have to be consolidation so that will eliminate jobs. I agree with the argument I saw that any buyers of stores they want to ""spinoff"" would be underperforming stores in general and will tend to fall in line with what happened the haggens store spinoff. As a long term employee, of course I'm concerned about my pension which ain't great but it's certainly something, my liveable wages, and the grade A healthcare plan being whittled away with new mandates every other year. Yes it is a story of the big kid on the block taking candy from the little kids. This is why anti-trust law exists in America. "
8/18/23 11:18:32	85297	"Definitely against this merger. Mergers usually only bring less competition, employee layoffs, increased prices, bonuses for the executives, stock buy backs... all which is bad for the average person."
8/21/23 17:41:16	85323	"It's area Kroger is the main choice with Safeway being next closest, then Walmart and Albertsons and bashas is not being terribly close. In the Kroger be the same... Ridiculous. Those of us have been in Arizona for years. Can name all the grocers who've come and gone because of mergers. Let's not let this happen this time. I knew people who worked for Safeway for decades and the Safeway Albertsons merger wasn't great for the Safeway people. I worked for a company that merged with another and being in the smaller company, was not good for employees. Basically the smaller companies goodies were rated, diminished in the final resulting company and people started leaving when they figured it out after a couple of years."
8/23/23 10:16:19	85003	"At St. Vincent de Paul, our core mission to feed, clothe, house and heal revolves around compassion and service to those in need in Central and Northern Arizona. We are proud to acknowledge Kroger as an invaluable partner that not only understands but actively addresses the challenges faced by our community members. The decades-long commitment shown by Kroger to alleviate hunger and uplift vulnerable populations resonates deeply with our values. Their consistent contributions and innovative programs ensure that individuals and families have access to essential resources. With Kroger's support, we are confident in our collective ability to make a meaningful difference in the lives of those we serve."
8/23/23 14:18:21	85007	"As the Urban League of Greater Phoenix continues to stand as a beacon of hope and progress for our community, we are acutely aware of the transformative power that strong partnerships hold. It is with great admiration and sincere gratitude that we recognize the indomitable commitment of Kroger as a true community ally. Their steadfast dedication to our shared goal of fostering economic empowerment and social justice resonates deeply with our mission. The Urban League of Greater Phoenix is not only impressed but inspired by Kroger's ongoing initiatives that ensure accessible and equitable opportunities for all. Their unwavering support, manifested through initiatives addressing hunger, education, and social cohesion, exemplifies the values we hold dear.  The Urban League of Greater Phoenix firmly stands by Kroger as a cherished partner, one whose actions consistently reflect their belief in the potential for positive change. Their investments in community development, local workforce enhancement, and sustainability mirror the Urban League's own commitment to building a stronger and more inclusive society. We extend our deepest appreciation for Kroger's efforts in making Phoenix a better place for everyone. With Kroger's partnership, we are confident that we can continue to make substantial strides toward equality, justice, and opportunity for all residents of our great city."
8/23/23 15:25:09	85086	"From what I'm reading I'm in the minority but I support the merger. Kroger Frys stores have their problems but it is well run compared to any Albertsons or Safeway that I've ever shopped at. Additionally Albertsons and Safeway already have HIGHER prices! In my opinion the merger would only lead to better, more efficient groceries for Arizona. That said, I would LOVE to see more Trader Joe's, Whole Foods, Aldi, Sprouts, etc stores in the area.  That is where the real competion would come from.  Thanks for providing the opportunity for my thoughts."
8/24/23 12:36:31	85013	"In the pursuit of a more inclusive and equitable society, ONE Community recognizes the critical role that allies play in fostering positive change. Kroger's dedication to supporting emerging communities and championing diversity aligns seamlessly with our core values. Their commitment to providing equitable access to resources and opportunities resonates deeply with our mission. As advocates for equality, we proudly support Kroger's efforts to make a meaningful impact in the lives of those they serve.  ONE Community stands firmly by Kroger as a trusted partner whose actions reflect their belief in the power of unity and shared purpose. Their initiatives to create an environment of belonging for all mirror our commitment to promoting diversity, equity and inclusion. Through our collaboration with Kroger, we are confident in our ability to advance the cause of social equality and justice. Together, we can create a society where everyone is valued, respected, and embraced equally for their unique contributions."
8/24/23 12:37:07	85013	"In the pursuit of a more inclusive and equitable society, ONE Community recognizes the critical role that allies play in fostering positive change. Kroger's dedication to supporting emerging communities and championing diversity aligns seamlessly with our core values. Their commitment to providing equitable access to resources and opportunities resonates deeply with our mission. As advocates for equality, we proudly support Kroger's efforts to make a meaningful impact in the lives of those they serve.  ONE Community stands firmly by Kroger as a trusted partner whose actions reflect their belief in the power of unity and shared purpose. Their initiatives to create an environment of belonging for all mirror our commitment to promoting diversity, equity and inclusion. Through our collaboration with Kroger, we are confident in our ability to advance the cause of social equality and justice. Together, we can create a society where everyone is valued, respected, and embraced equally for their unique contributions."
8/24/23 16:26:53	85305	"Kroger's deep-rooted commitment to bolstering local economies and investing in community well-being perfectly aligns with the Glendale Chamber of Commerce's core mission. As a valued and reliable partner, Kroger's dedication to creating union jobs, contributing to community initiatives, and fostering economic empowerment demonstrates their unwavering belief in the power of local businesses to drive positive change. Their steadfast support for the growth and prosperity of our city resonates deeply with our vision to create a thriving business environment that benefits all residents.  Kroger's consistent efforts in championing community development and sustainable growth have cemented their role as a trustworthy ally. By prioritizing their partnership with the Glendale community, Kroger has shown that their commitment to the region extends beyond business transactions. Their dedication to making a meaningful impact on the lives of Glendale's residents is evident in their actions, making them an invaluable collaborator in our shared journey to build a resilient and vibrant city. With Kroger's continued support, we are confident in our collective ability to create a business landscape that not only prospers but also enriches the lives of our community members."
8/24/23 16:27:33	85305	"Kroger's displays a deep commitment to supporting local economies and investing in the community well-being has always aligned with the Glendale Chamber of Commerce's mission. As a trusted and respected partner, Kroger's dedication to creating jobs, contributing to community initiatives, and fostering economic empowerment reflects their genuine belief in the potential of businesses driving positive change. Their steadfast support for the growth and prosperity of our city resonates deeply with our vision. By demonstrating a consistent commitment to Glendale's success, Kroger has earned the trust of our chamber and the community at large, making them an invaluable partner in our shared pursuit of a thriving business environment and a prosperous community."
8/25/23 7:12:05	85713	"As the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona continues its mission to provide nourishment and resources to those in need, the importance of strong community partnerships cannot be overstated. In this context, we extend our heartfelt gratitude to Kroger for their unwavering commitment to addressing food insecurity. Kroger's proactive approach to ensuring that accessible, nutritious food reaches every corner of our community resonates deeply with our values. Their initiatives align seamlessly with our vision for a Southern Arizona where hunger is eradicated and all residents have the opportunity to flourish.  The Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona is proud to stand by Kroger as a trusted partner whose actions reflect a profound understanding of the challenges faced by our community. Their contributions extend beyond the realm of food distribution, encompassing a holistic approach to community well-being. With Kroger's steadfast support, we are empowered to continue our journey toward a more equitable and compassionate Southern Arizona. Together, we can create a lasting legacy of positive change, one that ensures no one goes without nourishment or hope."
8/25/23 7:13:34	85713	"As the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona continues its mission to provide nourishment and resources to those in need, the importance of strong community partnerships cannot be overstated. In this context, we extend our heartfelt gratitude to Kroger for their unwavering commitment to addressing food insecurity. Kroger's proactive approach to ensuring that accessible, nutritious food reaches every corner of our community resonates deeply with our values. Their initiatives align seamlessly with our vision for a Southern Arizona where hunger is eradicated and all residents have the opportunity to flourish.  The Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona is proud to stand by Kroger as a trusted partner whose actions reflect a profound understanding of the challenges faced by our community. Their contributions extend beyond the realm of food distribution, encompassing a holistic approach to community well-being. With Kroger's steadfast support, we are empowered to continue our journey toward a more equitable and compassionate Southern Arizona. Together, we can create a lasting legacy of positive change, one that ensures no one goes without nourishment or hope."
8/25/23 8:48:25	85295	"Please stop this merger! I am a senior on fixed income who can't afford food as it is! I have lived my whole life suffering from this merger mania and it always raises prices, decreases quality, abd loses jobs! Please stop this merger! "
8/25/23 9:16:47	85016	"At the heart of the Greater Phoenix Chamber's mission lies the commitment to fostering economic growth and prosperity for our vibrant community. In this regard, Kroger's exceptional track record of building strong relationships and forming enduring partnerships beautifully resonates with our values. With their unwavering dedication to nurturing trust through years of active engagement, Kroger exemplifies the essence of collaboration and shared success that our Chamber champions.  Kroger's impressive legacy of supporting local economies, creating union jobs, and addressing crucial challenges, such as hunger, not only aligns with the Chamber's goals but also showcases their genuine commitment to making a positive impact in Greater Phoenix. As a trusted community partner, Kroger's dedication to enhancing quality of life through meaningful initiatives is evident. We admire their ability to establish and cultivate strong relationships, a feat that deeply aligns with our Chamber's vision of fostering a thriving business environment and contributing to the overall prosperity of our region. With Kroger's continued growth and engagement in Arizona, we are confident that their success will continue to enrich the economic landscape and build upon the bonds of trust they have so skillfully nurtured over the years."
8/25/23 12:37:07	86323	"I've lived in metro Phoenix and rural Arizona, and eroding food availability is already near-crisis for much of both. A Kroger-Albertson's merger threatens us for many reasons but chief is a dangerously overlooked fact: we are animals who need a varied diet of good, healthy food in order to live – right here and right now, not maybe in a day or three via expeditated ($$$) shipping. The undistinguished yet demanding men proposing the Kroger-Albertson’s merger know it won’t make the food industry more competitive or accessible or resilient to whatever Jeff Bezos may do when he’s done strong-arming drivers to strap on Depends. This merger has one aim: to help a handful of already overpaid executives live like rock stars (without requiring any actual talent), along with the shareholder scavengers who circle behind them. As many critics have said, stopping this merger should be a no-brainer, not least because of what happened the last time the same salivating men merged Albertson’s with Safeway. How many Americans lost jobs or were forced to become part-part-time contractors? How many family farmers and independent food suppliers went bust after being cancelled or commanded to hit unrealistic inventory quotas? How many Arizonans now have to hoof it 10-plus miles in desert heat or hitchhike to some high-income ex-urb just to get milk?  Like other Arizonans, I’m tired of feeling helpless against the corporate song-and-dance of conglomerate-concentrate-liquidate that whittles away consumer choice, devalues American labor, crushes community agriculture, and shakes down suppliers in order to starve small business. The Merger-Monster sits back on its bloated, amalgamated rump, congratulates itself for “luck” it self-engineered through cronyism and dark money, and chortles as the rest of us are dragged to death behind the runaway greed train it unabashedly calls “Progress”. It couldn’t be clearer: a Kroger-Albertson’s merger (by this or any other name) is not worth the costs. Let’s shift our time, money, lawyers, and public will away from corporate con-artists, and aim for a truer goal: making Arizona neighborhoods and small towns into healthy, thriving places where we can eat, shop, work, play, and thrive – all of us. "
8/25/23 14:28:49	85653	"If this merger goes through it is going to cost so many jobs nationwide. Not just with the chain but all the support people brokers, salespeople, merchandisers. At the end of the day your grocery prices are not going to go down"
8/29/23 15:41:44	85210	"The mission of the United Food Bank is to unite communities to alleviate hunger in Arizona. We rely on the support of our community to meet this mission, and we want you to know that Kroger has been among our most generous and long-lasting community partners.  Kroger consistently donates millions of pounds of fresh, nutritious food every single year to the local communities we serve, and has long been a close partner of our organization and mission. We are genuinely grateful for Kroger’s support of our neighbors who are experiencing hunger in Arizona."
8/29/23 16:25:42	85004	"On behalf of one-n-ten I am submitting a comment in support of Kroger's commitment to our community and their generosity of our programs and the youth we serve.  Kroger's profound dedication to creating positive change and fostering inclusivity resonates deeply with one n ten's mission. As a trusted and valued community partner, Kroger's unwavering support for various initiatives that address the challenges faced by LGBTQ+ youth is truly commendable. Their commitment to providing safe spaces, resources, and opportunities aligns seamlessly with our organization's goals. We wholeheartedly support Kroger's ongoing efforts to make a lasting impact on the lives of young individuals, demonstrating their genuine concern for their well-being and empowerment. By fostering a sense of belonging and understanding, Kroger has built a strong foundation of trust within the LGBTQ+ community and the broader community we serve."
9/1/23 8:17:23	85013	"Kroger's commitment to fostering inclusive opportunities, supporting local economies, and addressing critical issues like hunger showcases their genuine concern for community well-being and belonging. Their dedication aligns with our goal to amplify the voices and concerns of underrepresented communities, ensuring that concerns are identified, validated, and brought to the forefront of civic and community dialogue. As a reliable community partner, Kroger's initiatives reflect their belief in the power of collaboration and shared success, values that are instrumental in our collective efforts to create a more equitable Arizona. We wholeheartedly support Kroger's commitment to the community and their ongoing contributions that empower us all to work towards a more inclusive and equitable Arizona."
9/1/23 16:59:29	85008	"Kroger has been a strong supporter of The Salvation Army for decades and helping those less fortunate in our local communities. Fry’s not only provides gifts of money and resources to The Salvation Army, but the gift of time from their associates, who volunteer ringing bells at Red Kettles during the holiday season and at other Salvation Army events year-round.  A few examples include an annual school supply drive that collects thousands of backpacks and school supplies to help give underprivileged students the tools for academic success … the “Big Give,” an annual one-day drive that raises thousands of dollars and turkeys to help hungry families put food on the table during the holidays … donations of food and cooler trucks to keep food fresh for The Salvation Army’s annual Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners in downtown Phoenix … and donations of toys and funds to bring smiles to kids in need during The Salvation Army’s annual Christmas Angel program.  The Salvation Army is grateful for Kroger’s trust in our mission of “Doing the Most Good” and its commitment to serving the community."
9/5/23 12:26:57	85213	"No to the merger. Frys was terrible during quarantine.  Everyone was challenged but they were the poorest performers of all. I shopped Kroger at my mother's knee and continued for the last 50 years. Their performance during the pandemic caused me to end our relationship and will not shop there again. If you are bit there when we need you, we don't need you. Would hate to give up Albertsons too. Please stop this merger. Thank you for listening."
9/5/23 12:57:53	85213	I feel this merger is starting to look like a Monopoly. Kroger doesn’t carry name brands I use and their meat is not as good as Albertsons.  I will start shopping at Winco and Walmart if they do. I spend on average 200-250 weekly.
9/7/23 18:19:25	85541	"I used to live in Phoenix and then Glendale for a majority of my life however for the past two years I've been living in Payson. In 2020, according to the U.S. census there were 16,400 people living in Payson which is an 8.8% increase over the 2010 census. We only have 3 grocery stores here to serve all 16,400+ people; Safeway, Bashes, and Walmart. Due to the lack of adequate healthy competition within the retail food market of a town seeing a steady growth in its population, the end result is that even Walmart, which usually prides itself on ""everyday low prices"", has raised their prices to historically high levels that I never saw while living in Phoenix/Glendale. I have seen first-hand what the lack of retail competition in a growing community will cause for the consumers and it's exactly what many fear, higher cost of food. The price of food has already been climbing steadily for a while and the residents of this state cannot handle further spikes in the cost of food, plain and simple. The rise in prices will not be confined to only Kroger stores either but would also be seen in the bulk and mega discount stores such as Walmart, Winco, Costco etc. To ensure our family has enough food each month without having to live paycheck to paycheck we had to make a change as of earlier this year; when we do our big grocery run once a month we now are forced to drive 60 miles to and 60 miles back in order to go to Winco at 3rd Ave & Bell Rd because the overall savings exceeds the cost of gas, as long as gas remains less than $4/Gallon here in Payson. We can either make the 120 mile trip, go hungry, or not pay our electric bill and none of these should be a decision a family should be faced with. Even though we've effectively fallen in love with Payson we're likely going to be forced to move back to the ""nightmare in the desert"" known by most as ""Phoenix"".."
9/7/23 20:48:36	85048	"These mergers never make things better for consumers. I don’t hear any plans to improve the stores or the variety of merchandise. It all seems to be about cutting costs for the chain, and, with less competition, things will probably go down hill thereafter  "
9/8/23 10:02:05	85015	"This would allow Kroger a monopoly in Arizona with grocery stores. The outcome will be damaging to individuals as we will have less choice, and eventually pay higher prices, for the items we need to survive. Antitrust  laws were put in place to prevent these types of mergers and protect the consumers. "
9/8/23 22:19:27	85202	"Please, please, please challenge this deal. Corporate consolidation is at an all time high and consumers are getting beaten up by it. Prices are already incredibly high and reduced competition will only make it worse. Not to mention how insulting it is that these corporations try to convince consumers that this will benefit them with lower prices, they really think we're that stupid."
9/9/23 15:46:47	85050	"I m a senior citizen with mobility issues living in Desert Ridge.  Albertsons is the only supermarket located in desert ridge, and I would have a difficult time buying groceries should it close."
9/9/23 18:04:59	85375	"Usually I don't mind mergers as long as it does not result in a monopoly of sorts.  There really isn't that much competition as it is now concerning large grocery stores for such a large population base.  This will drive costs up even higher than the record prices we are seeing now.  Kroger would be able to over dominate this entire area with possible price fixing and can also run out the neighborhood smaller stores very easily.  Not sure this would be good for employees either.  Anyway, this is one merger that should not happen!!  Competition between large grocery companies must continue.  Once a merger like this is done it will never be undone."
9/9/23 19:43:55	85087	I think this merger should be stopped.  It would become a Kroger monopoly and there would b little competition.   There are other stores to shop at but those stores are a bit more unique and different and aren't comparable to a true grocery store.   Please do not let this merger go through.   I myself would then do the bulk of my shopping at Costco.
9/10/23 4:27:47	85719	Do Not Allow Merger
9/10/23 6:17:52	86403	STOP THIS NOW! I am opposed to this. It will cause prices to increase. We need the compitition to try to somewhat control prices.
9/10/23 8:04:59	85338	"I'm hoping they don't merge , we use to have Fry's, Safeway, and Albertsons.  Now we just have Fry's and Safeway .if this were to go through they would have a monopoly and be able to charge whatever they want. "
9/10/23 16:45:39	85249	I vote no on the merger. No to monopoly.
9/10/23 19:43:37	85643	There is much Safeway can do on their own to safe consumers money and make a profit. They already made higher profits than ever. So that shows they can make profits and not merge with Kroger. 
9/10/23 21:22:37	85213	"Please do what ever you can to prevent this merger. Any time one company gets a monopoly and reduces competition the consumer pays the price. Especially here in Arizona,  where the cost of living outpaces wages. This merger claims it will help lower prices but we know that never happens,  they go up instead. Let's not even pretend it's not gonna happen. "
9/12/23 13:56:29	85614	"This would be great, finally lower Safeway’s prices and be Great competition to Wally World. It would give us better prices."
9/13/23 15:02:16	85392	Arizona will be adversely impacted by this merger probably the most than any other state.  This would be a disaster for AZ families already struggling to put food on the table with these inflated grocery prices.  A monopoly would make it that much worse.  Please oppose this merger and use whatever tools you can as AG to stop it from happening.  Thank you!
9/13/23 15:57:55	85614	We need drugs for Cholesterol and High Blood Pressure and have not Insurance. We pay wit GoodRx Coupons for 360 Tab Simvastatin 20 mg by Fry's $70.34 and by Safeway $48.96: for Losartan 50 mg 360 Tab by Fry's $54.85 and by Safeway $13.11. You see a big difference for exactly the same drugs. We think when Kroger tack over Safeway we have to pay the Fry's price.
9/13/23 17:02:57	85614	"I don't have any issues with either store--I like them both.  But once they merge, we have essentially a monopoly (don't think Sprouts) and that is not good.  We would have no recourse to fast-rising prices."
9/14/23 5:05:11	85750	I want to know specific location/addresses of Safeway and Albertsons stores being sold off and NOT part of the merger.   That matters to me and I can't find the information anywhere.  I would appreciate that transparency thank you.
9/15/23 11:20:04	85614	Whenever there is No  competition the consumer will suffer.  Kroger is awful to their employees and this merger will be awful for the consumer. Radiology purchased clinics and now their service is awful.  NO one cares about the consumer. Look at Kroger's record on employee treatment.
9/15/23 17:35:21	85614	I 
9/18/23 14:08:23	85382	This proposed merger for Kroger to buy Albertson's is a terrible idea for AZ.  We are already limited to basically the two stores (very few Bashas' left) and need the competition between the two stores.  Kroger/Fry's already has taken over so much....then they start taking away so many of the name brand products that we want to purchase and replace them with their mostly-poor-quality Kroger products.  We also know that they will close many of the stores that are nearby each other and so many seniors will be forced to travel to another store.  When I look on Nextdoor the negative comments about Fry's grocery store are overwhelming.  The merger is a terrible idea.  We want a CHOICE!!!!
9/20/23 12:17:00	86004	"I am opposed to the Frys/Albertsons/Safeway merger. Flagstaff serves a vast rural population. This merger would reduce competition, increasing costs and likely eliminate stores and jobs. The State should strongly consider rejecting this merger. It will lead to a corporation with no accountability., "
9/25/23 15:31:21	86305	"The merger would likely reduce the  variety of products available to us. Fry's, Smith & Safeway would all use the same vendors. Alternatively it might reduce the variety in each store. I am not sure which would be worse."
9/28/23 11:39:09	85353	You will take away what little competition consumers have in this already price gouged grocery market!
10/1/23 12:43:17	85935	"I am opposed to the Kroger-Albertson's merger. Living in Pinetop we have two grocers within 6 miles  of my home, Safeway and Eddies (Bashas).  There is one other Safeway in Show Low and a Walmart, both more then 13 miles from  my home.  I see a high potential for one of the two Safeway's to close if this merger were to occur. Since Pinetop is the smaller of the two and sees a a drop in business after the tourist season it is more vulnerable, thus leaving the much smaller Eddies to remain.  There are supply issues now and having only one Safeway within more 70 miles miles can only aggravate food availability in this rural community. I wont even address the impact on competitiveness which can only result in even higher prices for food staples. OPPOSE the merger. "
10/2/23 14:35:48	85224	"Every time Kroger buys a large store in East Valley they don't handle the prescriptions accordingly. Its impossible to get a hold of a district or regional manager so each pharmacy is unsupervised, which means, they operate the way that they want. All of Albertson's prescriptions will AUTOMATICALLY be sent over to Fry's (Kroger) and most people don't want that because they know that Fry's has HORRIBLE customer service when it comes to their pharmacy. I dare you to try calling Kroger and trying to get anyone of any importance to answer pharmacy related questions. I've got a case number where a pharmacy employee LOST my order and nothing has been done for 2 months. You don't see that behavior with Albertson's. Why? Its because Albertson's is still into the customer service business. Lastly, Kroger is becoming like what you would expect in the in Cold War Era USSR, they have their propaganda music up loud. I've asked them to turn it down on many occasions because its detrimental to a neurological disease that I have and they won't do it. They frequently advertise products that are out of stock, DAY 1 of the day that the ad begins. They have this complex system of using their app to get ""DIGITAL COUPONS"" but even when you go through all of that effort, it rarely gives you the discount. Kroger has a huge mess of their own to clean up and unless we force them to do so, its just going to get worse when they purchase Albertson's Safeway. "
10/4/23 15:27:22	85901	"Just in the four years I have owned up here I have seen a lot more people living here fulltime, it's time to stop the stranglehold Safeway's has on these mountain communities, we need more supermarkets, Fry's Aldi's Basha's etc. More competition means better selection and prices for the consumer. We have an affordable housing shortage in this area, making it difficult to obtain staff for lower paid jobs, and seniors are getting squeezed for food affordability, it's time for the Mountain area to make it advantageous for other stores to open here."
10/4/23 17:51:44	85901	I am not in favor of the merger as I am boycotting Krogers. If they merge with Albertsons (Safeway) I am left with little choice for a grocery store to support that doesn’t push “woke” values.
10/4/23 20:06:25	85901	"A grocery merger means it tried will be forced to pay higher cost not to mention the rush that the store will ""under perform"" and be closed depriving our region of any alternatives.  It's capitalism run amuck that will cause huge issues for rural communities like ours."
10/5/23 7:14:56	85901	"I Definitely would like to see a Kroger, Fry’s, Winco would be my first choice. Safeway is so expensive I only buy things on sale. You really have to watch everything that ir rung up more times than not the specials don’t ring up correctly. It is so frustrating! I would prefer not to shop at Walmart to am forced to because I am on a tight budget. "
10/5/23 7:32:16	85901	I personally would not fear losing Safeway. I honestly don’t think a different store would fail. With all the surrounding towns it would probably be an extremely busy store. 
10/5/23 9:56:06	85935	mergers in general are not good for the people
10/5/23 16:19:35	85902	"We NEED Kroger in Show Low.  It is the best grocery store, I cannot continue to afford the Safeway prices, Safeway plays games with prices. Limited selection. So as my contact who has juice to make this happen, please make this happen.  "
10/5/23 16:41:53	86303	The Kroger/Fry’s merger of Safeway is another bad for Prescott. The closing of markets at the whim of a bureaucrat is a disaster. I still miss Albertson’s at Depot Market Place that our omnipotent government said would improve competition. 
10/5/23 17:56:29	85901	I'm supportive of the merger IF the stores that will be spun off or sold off are NOT in rural areas. At this time we do not have a lot of competition in rural NE AZ. The sold or spin off stores should be in populated areas where they can compete yet keep costs down for consumers. 
10/6/23 15:16:59	85901	"Put a Frys up here, if needed then close a Safeway. "
10/8/23 11:40:09	85750	"In Tucson, this would leave us with basically one grocery store to choose from. I know from past experience this would mean higher prices for consumers as well as less jobs for our Arizona workers. This merger should not be allowed to happen in Arizona."
10/12/23 13:20:38	85716	"I am completely against the Kroger-Albertsons Merger. Not only would it cause food deserts for many but it would also cause there to be zero competition and loss of jobs for hundreds of people. Especially after recent findings of modern-day slavery in Kroger's supply chain and their refusal to join the Fair Food Program., please stop this from happening. Thank you. "
10/13/23 9:32:54	85701	"As one of the largest Chambers in Southern Arizona, the Tucson Metro Chamber works not only for our 1,400 diverse member businesses, but also for the prosperity of the 160,000 workers and families they employ. Our foundational posture is to allow businesses to make the market decisions they need to make to continue thriving, in an environment where government doesn't hinder but helps when appropriate, and for the most community good as possible.      As we continue to analyze and understand the impact of this merger on our Southern Arizona businesses and families, a few things have stood out to us: 1. As Kroger and Albertsons looks at ways to stay competitive in an environment rapidly being taken over by large players such as Walmart and Amazon, we urge caution in any government intervention that would limit that ability and for local communities to have more options and lower prices. 2. We have an appreciation for the good community work Kroger and Albertsons does in our local communities, having demonstrated a strong investment in community throughout Arizona for many years now. That investment is appreciated and has funded many needed projects in many communities across the state. (3) We are grateful for the good faith effort being undergone by Kroger and Albertsons to go through the process of working with labor and on divestiture plans to make sure that stores remain open in areas that need them, and that existing labor agreements are maintained. (4) We are also appreciative of the outreach and conversations the Attorney General has made throughout the state to bring many important issues to light. The Chamber will continue to foster discussion on this important issue and we ask for continued common sense solutions by the Attorney General's Office and others affected by this potential merger."
10/15/23 8:15:50	85901	"I would love to have a Fry’s come to the White Mountains BUT not at the expense of losing our Safeway!  In Show Low we have 2 stores to choose from: Safeway and Walmart.  Safeway prices are already more expensive here than they are in the Phoenix area (I regularly compare their weekly Ad prices).   The White Mountains is not just Show Low and Pinetop- we comprise dozens of smaller communities and make up thousands of year round and summer residents!  A merger of this magnitude will have devastating effects here but across many small towns that our state relies on for farming, tourism, military, and many other industries!  "
10/17/23 12:25:06	85281	"I am the President and CEO of Greater Phoenix Leadership, an organization dedicated to improving our region and state. Kroger's enduring relationships throughout the metropolitan area provide an example of how community partnerships should be built. They've shown a commitment to building trust, collaborate, and address critical issues facing our state and region. Those positive actions through initiatives which support local economies and address hunger showcase their dedication to enhancing the quality of life in Arizona. Their meaningful partnerships make them a valued ally in our pursuit of progress, and we look forward to working with them in that pursuit for decades to come. Thank you."
10/22/23 8:58:32	86426	Why is this happening here? Safeway meat dept is Aok in my book!... 
10/23/23 14:25:36	85340	Simply put: MONOPOLY