These 400+ Towns Are Losing Their Kroger or Albertsons (Is Yours One of Them?)

People love Kroger and Albertsons because the stores’ selections and low prices make it easy to save on everyday groceries.

However, the two chains have agreed on a merger, resulting in complications that could mean your local store getting a makeover. The merger will not close until after January 17, 2024. 

Find out what’s going on and if your local Kroger or Albertsons could be affected.

Kroger and Albertsons are trying to get final approval for a merger, but there are some changes they need to make first.

The two chains have agreed to offload more than 400 of their stores as well as other assets to comply with trade regulations so the federal government can approve the merger.

Kroger and Albertsons recently agreed to sell these stores to C&S; Wholesale Grocers, a major grocery wholesaler that owns Piggly Wiggly stores. Your local Kroger or Albertsons could be part of this sale.

Arizona has Albertsons locations that are expected to change hands as part of the deal with C&S; Wholesale Grocers.

The company expects to close 24 of its locations in the state. However, it hasn’t announced which specific locations will be affected.

Your local Arkansas grocery store may fall under a new owner, depending on whether Albertsons owns your current store.

The company plans to sell 14 locations to C&S Wholesale Grocers to get approval for its merger with Kroger.

There will be 66 Albertsons and Kroger stores in this potential deal with C&S Wholesale Grocers, making it the second-most state with several stores affected.

Both retailers have a large presence in California, with Kroger owning 307 locations, mostly in southern California. 

Albertsons has an additional 124 locations there, far more than its second-place Texas with 44 locations.

Colorado is one of several states with only Albertsons locations affected by this potential sale.

There are 52 Albertsons locations in the Mile High State that could be affected if this proposed sale goes through.

Only two of those locations are Albertsons branded, while others in its portfolio include King Soopers, City Market, and Safeway stores in Colorado.

Idaho is the third-highest state for Albertsons locations, with 39 stores, which could be a factor in its store closings.

The state is set to lose 13 stores as part of the potential sale of stores and other assets to C&S; Wholesale Grocers as part of the merger.

Illinois is the only state on this list selling just Kroger locations.

The proposal includes 14 Krogers locations in the state, which has 104 locations, with most of them in the Chicago area.

The western states of Montana, Utah, and Wyoming will see 12 Albertsons-owned locations transferred due to the company’s merger with Kroger.

Albertsons currently has 30 locations in Montana, 10 in Wyoming, and two in Utah.

In Nevada, expect to see 15 Albertsons locations change hands as part of this potential acquisition.

The company has 35 branded Albertsons locations in the state, including 27 in Las Vegas. It also has a store in Boulder City, Elko, North Las Vegas, Pahrump, and four in Henderson.

New Mexico could see the transfer of 12 Albertsons-owned stores as part of the potential sale to C&S; Wholesale Grocers.

The state has Albertsons-branded stores and locations under the company’s Market Street stores.

Oregon is another state that will see a reduction in both Kroger and Albertsons locations.

The stores will get rid of 49 Krogers and Albertsons locations. Krogers has 56 retail stores in Oregon, while there are 25 stores under the Albertsons name in the state.

The Oregonian identified roughly 33 stores owned by Kroger or Albertsons within a mile of another store, which may be one reason for the reduction in locations.

The southern region of Texas and Louisiana could be shrinking when it comes to the number of Albertsons in their states.

The company announced that there would be 28 Albertsons stores included in the sale to C&S Wholesale Grocers. Texas is Albertsons’ second-biggest state, with 44 Albertsons locations.

The state of Washington will see the biggest change under this agreement, with 104 stores being sold by Kroger and Albertsons.

Kroger, which is headquartered in Cincinnati, currently has 117 locations in Washington state, while Albertsons has 16 locations there.

Washington, D.C., and its surrounding states (also known as the DMV) will see the transfer of 10 Harris Teeter stores as part of the sale to C&S; Wholesale Grocers.

Harris Teeter is part of a subsidiary owned by Kroger, which is why these locations are included in the sale.

Your local grocery store may change hands or names, but that doesn’t mean you have to change your shopping habits just to keep more money in your bank account. 

Check with customer service if your store is affected by this change and ask about loyalty programs, which could help you save money shopping when you sign up.