Unions, Advocates Urge DOJ Criminal Probe of Kroger, Albertsons

The US Justice Department should investigate whether Kroger Co. and Albertsons Cos. engaged in illegal collusion, unions and advocates say, citing evidence unearthed in recent lawsuits seeking to block the grocery giants’ proposed merger.

The US Federal Trade Commission and a group of states sued the companies in federal court in February to thwart their $24.6 billion tie-up, on the heels of a similar lawsuit filed by Colorado’s attorney general in state court. Both complaints cite communications indicating that the two grocers have relied on non-solicitation agreements and pacts not to poach each other’s workers and customers—evidence that advocates and ...