A federal court in Portland, Oregon, heard closing arguments in the case of a proposed $24.6 billion merger between supermarket giants Kroger and Albertsons. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is urging the court to block the merger, arguing it would harm competition and lead to higher prices for consumers. Washington State and Colorado have also filed lawsuits to block the deal, with Washington concerned about the impact on its over 300 grocery stores owned by the chains. Kroger and Albertsons argue the merger would help them compete with retail giants like Walmart and Amazon, and potentially lower prices. A decision from the Oregon judge is pending, with the outcome having significant implications for shoppers and workers in several states.