SN Top 10: Kroger, Aldi, Sprouts top the week's headlines

In this week’s recap of the Top 10 most popular Supermarket News articles, Kroger, Albertsons may sell off stores to C&S Wholesale Grocers in anticipation of merger deal. Kroger and Albertsons could be close to selling an undisclosed number to C&S Wholesale Grocers, as a means towards cinching regulatory approval for the two companies’ $24.6 billion merger deal, according to reporting by Bloomberg. It has been speculated that both Kroger and Albertsons would have to divest stores in order to appease antitrust regulators. Kroger and Albertsons initially outlined the potential sale of 100 to 375 stores, but have since disclosed they would cap divested stores at 650 locations. According to Bloomberg, C&S intends to acquire “most or all of the stores” they are unloading for antitrust reasons. 

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In other news, a new report is grading the 20 largest U.S. grocery retailers on their commitments to farm animal welfare, with only two retailers receiving “A” grades —— Sprouts Farmers Market and Whole Foods Market. The report from the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) is the company’s inaugural animal welfare study, which tracks commitments and progress in three key areas: cage-free eggs, gestation crate-free pork, and alignment with the “Better Chicken Commitment,” a set of standards that aims to improve the welfare of billions of chickens raised for meat.

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