Grocery shopping for consumers might take another step reflective of our times, as Vons and Albertsons are on the verge of becoming one if a proposed merger is approved between Safeway and Albertsons.
The merger would join more than 2,400 grocery stores, 27 distribution centers and 20 manufacturing plants, as reported Tuesday in the San Gabriel Valley Tribune. Rival Kroger, which owns Ralph’s, operates 2,600 stores.
Grocery shopping for consumers might take another step reflective of our times, as Vons and Albertsons are on the verge of becoming one if a proposed merger is approved between Safeway and Albertsons.
The merger would join more than 2,400 grocery stores, 27 distribution centers and 20 manufacturing plants, as reported Tuesday in the San Gabriel Valley Tribune. Rival Kroger, which owns Ralph’s, operates 2,600 stores.
A $9.4 billion deal proposed by Cerebus Capital, a private equity firm that owns Albertsons is pending approval from shareholders and the Federal Trade Commission.
The merger would join a roster of about 250,000 employees that some experts say is rife for job cuts. The FTC might arrive at a decision within a month and could close in the fourth quarter of 2014, the Tribune reported. A decision could hinge on various checkpoints, including the number of stores that must be closed to meet federal antitrust rules.
There are 678 stores between Vons and Albertsons in California. The City of Gardena has a Vons store on Redondo Beach Boulevard near Normandie Avenue. An Albertson’s is located at the corner of Artesia Boulevard and Western Avenue.
Vons and Albertsons officials believe that stores will remain open through the end of this year.
In February, Albertsons trimmed its numbers by closing 26 underperforming stores in eight states, 11 of them in California. Displaced employees were reportedly moved to other stores, an official told the Tribune.
Consumers today tend to follow weekly product sales rather than stay loyal to one store, the Tribune reported. There are more choices today to shop for everyday needs, including non-traditional grocery stores such as Target, Trader Joe’s and Walmart.
