US supermarket group Albertsons is seeking more than USD9 billion in damages from rival Kroger over their failed USD24.6 billion merger. Albertsons alleges Kroger breached contractual obligations and undermined regulatory approval efforts, contributing to the deal’s collapse in December 2024. Kroger disputes the allegations and has filed counterclaims. The lawsuit follows regulatory opposition to the merger, which would have combined two of America’s largest grocery chains. (Bloomberg)