Kroger-Albertsons Deal Heads to Court With Food Price Focus (2)

Kroger Co. and Albertsons Cos. are finally getting their day in court.

Nearly two years after the acquisition was announced, the grocery giants on Monday started a federal court hearing in Portland, Oregon, on the US Federal Trade Commission’s bid to block the $24.6 billion deal. The FTC alleges the tie-up would lead to higher grocery prices for consumers and lower wages for the supermarkets’ unionized workforces.

More than 100,000 Americans wrote to the antitrust and consumer protection agency to express concerns about the proposed takeover, FTC lawyer Susan Musser told US District Judge Adrienne Nelson, who is ...