Commission has begun to look less at market share and more at the data on actual competition between

businesses. For example, in February 2007, Whole Foods Market and Wild Oats Market announced that they

wished to merge. These were the two largest companies in the market that the government defined as

“premium natural and organic supermarket chains.” However, one could also argue that they were two

relatively small companies in the broader market for all stores that sell groceries or specialty food products.

Rather than relying on a market definition, the government antitrust regulators looked at detailed evidence on

profits and prices for specific stores in different cities, both before and after other competitive stores entered

or exited. Based on that evidence, the Federal Trade Commission decided to block the merger. After two years

of legal battles, the FTC eventually allowed the merger in 2009 under the conditions that Whole Foods sell off
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