Some small grocery stores and neighborhood convenience stores are eager for the U.S. government shutdown to end and for their customers to start receiving federal food aid again. Late last month, the Trump administration froze funding for the SNAP benefits that about 42 million Americans use to buy groceries. The U.S. Department of Agriculture says about 74% of the assistance was spent last year at superstores like Walmart and supermarkets like Kroger. Around 14% went to smaller stores that are more accessible to SNAP beneficiaries. A former director of the United Nations World Food Program says SNAP is not only a social safety net for families but a local economic engine that supports neighborhood businesses.
By DEE-ANN DURBIN and MICHAEL LIEDTKE AP Business Writers
DoorDash is adding restaurant reservations and robot deliveries to its menu in some U.S. markets. The San Francisco-based company, already the largest U.S. delivery provider, announced its expansion plans Tuesday, saying it wants to bring even more business to the merchants it works with. DoorDash said it will soon begin offering restaurant reservations in its app in New York and Miami. Other cities will follow later this year. The company also plans to begin offering deliveries in the Phoenix area with its own autonomous robot, called Dot. DoorDash said the robot, which is 4.5-feet tall, can travel up to 20 miles per hour on streets, sidewalks and driveways.
By DEE-ANN DURBIN and CLAIRE RUSH Associated Press Writers
Kroger and Albertsons are defending their plan to merge in a hearing that began Monday in federal court in Oregon. In October 2022, the chains proposed what would be the largest supermarket merger in U.S. history. They say joining together would help them compete with big rivals like Walmart and Costco. But the Federal Trade Commission sued to try to block the merger, saying it would eliminate competition and raise grocery prices. After a three-week hearing, U.S. District Judge Adrienne Nelson will decide whether to grant the FTC's request for a preliminary injunction, which would block the merger while the case goes through in-house proceedings at the FTC.
