Although Whole Foods Market's (NASDAQ: WFMI) acquisition of Wild Oats has already been completed, the FTC is still trying to get in the way. The Commission is asking a Washington appellate court to overturn a federal district court's ruling [subscription required] that allowed the merger to proceed.According to The Wall Street Journal, the FTC was split on whether to pursue the appeal, and it's considered a Hail Mary pass.
Regardless of whether you support or oppose the district court's ruling that allowed the deal to proceed -- and in spite of Mr. Mackey's crazy message board antics -- you have to wonder what the point of this appeal is. Are taxpayers really having their money spent wisely pursuing an appeal that has no chance?
I don't think so. Consumers would be better served if the FTC devoted some of this energy to cracking down on the numerous fraudulent multi-level marketing companies that continue to recruit distributors, uninhibited by anti-pyramid laws.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
10-25-2007 @ 1:05PM
h.r. gard said...
the crime at whole foods, they are democrats, several grocery mergers were completed recently. one large east coast company controls 90% of the food market. not one comment from the bush run ftc. now enter whole foods, they support big citys and the people-the ftc wants to bring them down. chinese food at malwart should be the focus, but its politics as usual at the ftc.
10-25-2007 @ 2:42PM
h.r. gard said...
the crime at whole foods, they are democrats, several grocery mergers were completed recently. one large east coast company controls 90% of the food market. not one comment from the bush run ftc. now enter whole foods, they support big citys and the people-the ftc wants to bring them down. chinese food at malwart should be the focus, but its politics as usual at the ftc.
10-25-2007 @ 1:04PM
h.r. gard said...
the crime at whole foods, they are democrats, several grocery mergers were completed recently. one large east coast company controls 90% of the food market. not one comment from the bush run ftc. now enter whole foods, they support big citys and the people-the ftc wants to bring them down. chinese food at malwart should be the focus, but its politics as usual at the ftc.
11-06-2007 @ 9:53PM
Ajoy Bhatia said...
My jaw dropped open when I read this. This FTC is unbelievable!!! Some at the FTC seem to have an ax to grind, and to hell with the consumers' interests. At this stage, Whole Foods should have actual evidence of how the merger has benefited both consumers and shareholders, and not the opposite. The FTC's chances of winning are slimmer than ever. Looks like someone at the FTC does not have anything else to do, and is trying to save his/her job.