It’s Off! The Merger Arizona Shoppers Never Wanted Won’t Happen!

If you're anything like me, you have a favorite grocery store, favorite checkout lane, maybe even a favorite cashier, or kiosk—if you're the self-checkout kind.

I'm a busy person, so knowing the layout of a store alleviates my shopping anxiety. I can find what I need quickly and without frustration, allowing me to focus on the other myriad things that cause me anxiety. Seeing a familiar face at the check stand is the next layer of my peaceful shopping experience.

I find all of these features at my favorite local grocery store. It's three minutes away from our radio station, and I've been shopping there for years.

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The competition across town? Not so much. I'm sure they're a wonderful store; I just don't have the same mental-store-map and shopping relationship that I have for the one around the corner.

The Grocery Store Merger We Didn't Want

So, when I learned that Kroger and Albertsons were planning a giant merger, I held my breath.

Their child companies, Fry's and Safeway, are situated at different ends of our little town. There's no way they would stand eye-to-eye and compete against each other if they were flying under the same banner, so one of the stores would likely disappear, and all signs pointed to MY favorite store ending up on the losing end of the deal.

Today, I read that the merger is off, and as a loyal shopper (and friend of the staff at my nearby store), I breathed a sigh of relief.

The Kroger/Albertson's Merger is Off

The big news in the grocery world is that the Kroger and Albertsons merger is officially off the table. This $24.6 billion deal, which was supposed to be the largest grocery store merger in U.S. history, has been called off.

I'm sure the giant corporate powers that be didn't consider my personal preferences, so why did the merger fall apart? It came down to regulatory hurdles. Two judges blocked the merger, citing concerns that it would reduce competition and harm consumers.

(Isn't that what I've been saying? I mean, restated in a much more coherent way, but essentially, these were my concerns in a nutshell!)

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and several state attorneys general were also against it. They argued that it would "lead to higher prices and lower wages." According to CNN, Albertsons even sued Kroger, claiming they didn't do enough to get the deal approved.

READ: Kroger Merger: Will Cochise County Safeway Stores Be Sold?

The Fallout: The of the End of the Kroger/Albertson Merger

What does this mean for the companies? For one, this means both companies will continue to operate separately.

READ: Do You Want This Giant Grocery Store Merger?

Like me, though, I think most shoppers are pretty pleased with the news. The end of the merger threat is a win giant for the FTC, shoppers, and consumer advocates everywhere. I wasn't the only one worried about the negative impacts of such a massive merger.

This is good news for shoppers. Axing the merger means we get to keep the competition in the market, which usually translates into better prices and more consumer choice.

My favorite part is that it will help protect the jobs of the fine people who work at my favorite grocery store—keeping smaller, local stores in business against giant conglomerates.

The classic ending of the David vs. Goliath story reigns again, and I couldn't be happier.

Sources: NBC News | AP News | Fox 10 Phoenix | The Hill | CNN | Federal Trade Commission (FTC)