February 19, 2015 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

Contact: Kate Fried, Food & Water Watch, (202) 683-4805,kfried@fwwatch.org 

Food & Water Watch Commends FTC Action to Block Sysco-US Foods Merger

Statement of Food & Water Watch Executive Director Wenonah Hauter

Washington, D.C. —“Today, the Federal Trade Commission appropriately sued to block the merger between Sysco and US Foods, demonstrating that U.S. antitrust laws can have some teeth. The proposed deal between the top two broadline food distribution firms in the country would have created a national monopoly controlling three-quarters of the foodservice delivery market. The proposed merger could have imposed price hikes on restaurants, cafeterias, hospitals and stadiums that would harm consumers and businesses, undermining market competition.

“Finally, the federal antitrust cops have said ‘enough is enough’ to the wave of mega-mergers sweeping the food industry. The last year has seen the FTC and Justice Departments rubber stamp a host of giant agribusiness and food industry deals that have further consolidated an already over-concentrated sector of the economy. 

“Today’s FTC action gives consumers, farmers and small and medium-sized businesses a ray of hope that antitrust authorities can act decisively to prevent mergers that create monopolies in the food system.” 

Food & Water Watch works to ensure the food, water and fish we consume is safe, accessible and sustainable. So we can all enjoy and trust in what we eat and drink, we help people take charge of where their food comes from, keep clean, affordable, public tap water flowing freely to our homes, protect the environmental quality of oceans, force government to do its job protecting citizens, and educate about the importance of keeping shared resources under public control.

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