The chief executive officer of Kroger has insisted that merging with rival Albertsons would allow the two supermarket companies to lower prices and more effectively compete with retail giants like Walmart and Amazon. Kroger CEO Rodney McMullen argued for what would be the largest grocery chain merger in U.S. history while testifying on Wednesday during a federal court hearing in Oregon. The Federal Trade Commission is seeking a preliminary injunction to block the $24.6 billion deal. The commission alleges the merger would eliminate competition and raise grocery prices for consumers. McMullen says the opposite is true and “the day that we merge is the day that we will begin lowering prices.”
