Kroger

Kroger said it expects to finalise its US$2.5bn acquisition Charlotte, North Carolina-based Harris Teeter by the end of January, creating a supermarket with sales in excess of US$100bn.

On Friday, the Federal Trade Commission gave the go-ahead for the deal, which will make the Cincinnati-based retailer the number one grocer by market share in the Charlotte region and significantly boost its presence in the southeastern US. It will also give America’s leading mainstream grocer a bigger profile in the mid-Atlantic region.

Kroger said Harris Teeter would continue to operate under its own name and retain much of its autonomy. However it is not known how many jobs will go at Harris Teeter’s headquarters in Matthews.