Judge Adrienne Nelson heard closing arguments Tuesday in the federal case in Portland, Ore., involving the $24.6 billion grocery deal. Nelson said she would take the case under advisement but did not offer a timeline for her ruling.

Katie O’Connell became a regular at Portland’s Cully neighborhood Albertsons store, just two blocks from her home, during the COVID-19 pandemic as prices climbed at other nearby stores. Now, she divides her shopping between the Albertsons for pantry staples and a Safeway on Northeast Sandy Boulevard for fresh produce and meats,

A decision on the proposed merger between Kroger and Albertsons could be coming soon as the Federal Trade Commission hopes to get an injunction.