Did Sobeys screw up the takeover of Safeway?

Generally when 2 large companies combine there is one master and one slave. The slave company is slowly absorbed into the master before the company is able to move forward under one name or they run completely independent of each other and compete internally. This positions both companies to grow. In this case Safeway stores were closed, sold and basically the infrastructure was downsized. When ever you downsize a company in its physical presence the company losses increase exponentially. Because both companies experience these losses, more cuts occur. Safeway and Sobeys are the resultant of this. If they would have went under one name and did the same thing, they would have generated more interest, but instead they alienated their customers for both companies. Unlike the Shoppers take over, this one flopped from what I see.