Kroger and Albertsons prepare to make a final federal court argument for their merger

Associated Press Writers

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Closing arguments have begun in the Federal Trade Commission’s attempt to block the proposed merger of supermarket chains Kroger and Albertsons. The FTC is asking a U.S. District Court judge in Portland, Oregon, for a temporary injunction while it holds anti-trust proceedings on the the $24.6 billion deal. During the three-week hearing expected to wrap up Tuesday, the two companies insisted that merging would allow them to lower prices and more effectively compete with retail giants like Walmart and Amazon. But the FTC says the deal would eliminate local competition. Kroger and Albertsons proposed what would be the largest supermarket merger in U.S. history in 2022.