Albertsons closures in Southern California and beyond in April 2026

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Albertsons seems to be dealing with a major headache. Industry insiders suggest that the Boise-based supermarket giant is struggling with the aftermath of a blocked $24.6 billion merger with Kroger by the Federal Trade Commission. In an attempt to recover, Albertsons is closing a number of stores in Southern California and beyond.

The failed merger was intended to help the chain compete with bigger players like Walmart. Albertsons also operates popular brands such as Safeway, Vons, and Pavilions in California.

Albertsons is closing stores around the country under a number of different brands, as part of a push towards greater efficiency, according to reports.

The recent store closures affect Vons locations in Escondido and Redlands, with 135 jobs lost. Additionally, an Albertsons store near Riverside closed on Mar. 19, resulting in 75 layoffs. In February, a Safeway in the Alameda area closed down, impacting 76 employees.

Further cuts are expected in North Texas, where two Tarrant County locations are set to close by late April, resulting in 138 job losses. A Safeway in Washington, D.C. is also slated for closure in May, affecting 87 workers.

Albertsons’ CEO, Susan Morris, is focusing on AI and automation to improve efficiency, with a reported 21% increase in digital sales in Q3 2025.