Consumers in native communities throughout a number of states might uncover that they’ve fewer supermarkets to select from this yr.
Grocery big Albertsons Corporations has continued to shut shops in latest months as reevaluates its retailer footprint within the wake of a failed merger with The Kroger Firm.
Thus far in 2026, at the least a dozen areas have closed or have been marked for closure, in response to an evaluation of native media stories, on-line overview platforms, and Albertsons’ personal retailer locator instruments.
The closures have impacted shops throughout Albertsons’ portfolio of grocery and grocery store chains, together with Acme, Balducci’s, Randalls, Safeway, and Vons, along with banner Albertsons shops.
Greater than half of the closures have been in California and Texas, with areas additionally shuttered in New Jersey, Connecticut, Nevada, and Washington, D.C.
As reported in April, Albertsons ended its 2025 fiscal yr with 2,244 bodily shops, a internet decline of 26 when in comparison with the earlier yr.
Grocery retailer closures can have an particularly corrosive influence on native communities. Researchers have lengthy documented the rise of food deserts in low-income areas, which they attribute partially to trade consolidation.
Regardless of this newest spherical of closures, Albertsons tells Quick Firm that it expects to finish its 2026 fiscal yr with a internet constructive retailer depend.
Why is Albertsons closing shops?
Albertsons spent two years planning to be acquired by its competitor Kroger in a $25 billion deal that might have created a 5,000-store grocery behemoth.
However the firms abandoned the proposed merger in December 2024 after it was blocked by courts.
Throughout that two-year course of, Albertsons had slowed down the potential optimization of its bodily retailer footprint, a spokesperson instructed Quick Firm when reached for remark, however that course of has since resumed.
“[Our network positioning] consists of opening new shops in areas with robust demand and long-term alternative, whereas additionally making the troublesome choice to shut some areas,” Albertsons mentioned in an emailed assertion. “In these circumstances, we work to put as many associates as doable in different shops.”
The corporate didn’t say what number of areas it expects to shut this yr, or what number of jobs could be misplaced. It says it anticipates a internet improve in shops for its present fiscal yr, which ends in February 2027.
Kroger has additionally been closing locations throughout its retailer portfolio because the merger fell aside, as Quick Firm reported in March.
Which Albertsons shops have closed in 2026?
In line with our evaluation, 11 of the 12 areas listed under have closed in latest months, with the extra location anticipated to shut in August. The listing, which incorporates shops throughout a number of Albertsons-owned chains, is probably not a full depend.
When reached by Quick Firm, Albertsons didn’t touch upon particular areas or elaborate on whether or not extra closures are anticipated.
Acme
- 455 NJ-23, Sussex, NJ 07461
- 481 River Rd, Edgewater, NJ 07020 (closing in August)
Albertsons
- 1260 E Ontario Ave, Corona, CA 92881
- 6700 West Fwy, Fort Price, TX 76116
- 1155 N Predominant St, Euless, TX 76039
- 1300 E Flamingo Rd, Las Vegas, NV 89119
Balducci’s
- 1385 Submit Rd E, Westport, CT 06880
Randalls
- 5161 San Felipe St, Houston, TX 77056
Safeway
- 1601 Maryland Ave NE, Washington, DC 20002
- 231 W Jackson St Hayward, CA 94544
Vons
- 2345 E Valley Pkwy, Escondido, CA 92027
- 522 Orange St, Redlands, CA 92374
Is Albertsons in bother?
Albertsons has undoubtedly confronted its share of latest troubles. Along with its failed merger, the grocery big reported a internet lack of $481 million throughout the fourth quarter of final yr.
This loss was largely resulting from a $774 million lawsuit settlement, associated to allegations that Albertsons pharmacies didn’t do sufficient to stop opioid abuse. In reaching the settlement, Albertsons admitted no wrongdoing.
Albertsons noticed its all-important “equivalent gross sales” metric develop by a modest 2% final yr, whereas digital gross sales have been a vibrant spot—up 21%.
Extra broadly, grocery store chains have confronted rising competitors from the likes of big-box retailers like Walmart and Costco, and e-commerce big Amazon. This survival-of-the-fittest grocery atmosphere is without doubt one of the explanation why Albertsons and Kroger wished so badly to merge within the first place.
Shares of Albertsons Corporations Inc (NYSE: ACI) have tumbled roughly 27% over the previous 12 months. The inventory was buying and selling at $16.21 when the markets closed on Friday and has far underperformed the S&P 500 this yr.
This story is creating and could also be up to date with extra areas and particulars.
