Is this rumored merger the next Amazon-Whole Foods?

It’s becoming increasingly difficult for retailers to compete with the behemoth that is Amazon-Whole Foods. Just how do you one-up two-hour delivery and grocery stores with no checkout lines? One way: try to replicate their success.

After Fast Company reported that Target was in talks with Kroger to join forces, Well+Good reached out to a source close to the matter. The verdict: It’s not happening. “There is no truth to this,” the source says.

It’s easy to see how a rumor like this could take off, though—with grocery and drug stores getting creative to keep customers. As buying groceries online becomes more common—a recent report from Nielsen and the Food Marketing Institute predicts that 70 percent of consumers will be doing it by 2024—it’s creating space for more players to get in the game. And don’t expect them to be the only ones: Analysts say mergers are vital to long-term success for supermarkets.

In the end, it’s the consumer who just might profit the most. (Score!) As more grocers move online and try to woo your attention away from Amazon-Whole Foods, you can expect bigger brands to get creative as to what they offer, whether it’s lower prices, faster delivery, free pickup, or special perks for subscribers.

Hey, anything to avoid that long line on Sunday afternoons, right?

Speaking of shopping, here are the healthy goods to stock up on at Costco. Plus, seven thoughts everyone has while grocery shopping.