Corporate consolidation has steadily increased over the past 40 years, pushing small independent businesses into the minority and consolidated grocers into dominance. As Albertsons protects its profits and gears up to close
a handful of California locations — which would lower its operating costs — communities might not get a chance to see these grocery stores replaced. In addition to “lease squatting” uncovered by
SFGATE’s investigation on “zombie stores,” companies like Albertsons can maintain their power by blocking competitors through the use of grocery restrictive covenants: stipulations written into deed and lease agreements that limit or completely prohibit the operation of a grocery store on a piece of property. As they sell a property, they write the restriction into the deed so the next owner is unable to lease the space to a grocer. This practice effectively obstructs a community’s access to food and limits its autonomy. However, finding out whether a piece of land is impacted by a grocery-restrictive covenant is tricky; restrictive covenants on retail properties are often not publicly accessible in California. Once communities realize what is happening, they’re furious and often organize to fight back.
