Grocery store antitrust case comes to Colorado

DENVER — Grocery giants Kroger and Albertsons are set to defend their proposed $24.6 billion deal to merge for the third time this month — this time in a Denver courtroom.

Attorneys with the U.S. Federal Trade Commission wrapped up their arguments in U.S. District Court last week after a weeks-long trial about the FTC’s request for a preliminary injunction to pause the merger, citing antitrust laws. A case brought by Washington state’s attorney general is also underway.

Now, the two grocery chains must defend their proposal in a face-off with Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser, who filed a lawsuit in February in Denver District Court to permanently block the merger.

Kroger and Albertsons are still waiting on a ruling from the FTC trial, which could come at any time. Regardless, Weiser said he plans to move forward.

“I think the chance that either case has a ruling before our trial is over is probably vanishingly small,” Weiser told reporters during a news conference on Thursday.

> Read the full story at Denver Business Journal.