Following the collapse of the merger with Albertsons, Kroger was forced to reassess its consolidation strategy. On July 3, antitrust regulators blocked Kroger's consolidation efforts. On July 7, Kroger announced its acquisition of the Giant Eagle supermarket chain for $1.65 billion to strengthen its presence in Midwestern markets. On July 8, the deal was confirmed as an all-cash transaction worth $1.65 billion.
