Kroger and Albertsons make a final pitch for their merger before a judge decides whether to block it
Kroger and Albertsons have made their final argument in federal court in support of their proposed merger
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — The federal government urged a U.S. District Court judge on Tuesday to temporarily prevent a proposed merger between Kroger and Albertsons, saying in closing arguments the combination would “almost certainly” benefit shareholders and not everyday shoppers.
Lawyers for the Federal Trade Commission and for the supermarket chains gave their closing arguments at the end of a three-week hearing on the commission's request for a preliminary injunction to block the $24.6 billion deal.
Kroger and Albertsons argued their merger would preserve consumer choice by allowing them to better compete against growing rivals like Walmart, Costco and Amazon.
“If we don’t do something, the corner grocery store is in real danger," Kroger attorney Matt Wolf said.
