A federal trial began this week to determine the fate of dozens of grocery stores in Portland, including all Fred Meyer and Safeway stores.
Kroger Co., owner of the Fred Meyer chain, wants to buy Albertsons Companies Inc., owner of Safeway, for $25 billion in what would be the biggest grocery merger ever. The Federal Trade Commission sued the grocery chains in U.S. District Court in February, saying the deal would diminish competition and drive up prices. A dozen states, including Oregon, joined the lawsuit or filed ones of their own.
Albertsons and Kroger say they must combine in order to compete with Costco, Walmart and Amazon’s Whole Foods chain…