PORTLAND, Ore. – Attorneys for the Federal Trade Commission and Kroger and Albertsons ended their three-week court battle the same way they started: diametrically opposed over whether the two grocery rivals should be permitted to join forces.

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,

The FTC antitrust hearing over the proposed $24.6B mergers of Kroger and Albertsons is nearing an end. Here's a recap of each side's arguments and what to expect heading into closing arguments.