US supermarket chains Winn-Dixie, Tops owners preparing for bankruptcy

Two US supermarket chains are readying bankruptcy filings, according to people with knowledge of the matter, a sign of the mounting pressures in the grocery industry.

Bi-Lo, the company behind the Winn-Dixie chain, is preparing for a filing as soon as March, according to the people. The owner of Tops Friendly Markets, meanwhile, could potentially seek court protection from creditors as soon as this month, people familiar with that situation said.

With low margins and ample competition, the grocery business has always been challenging. But now the industry is contending with a more aggressive push by big-box retailers and Amazon.com, which acquired