Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser has filed a lawsuit in Denver District Court to block a proposed $24.6 billion Kroger-Albertsons merger. On Wednesday, Weiser announced he had filed the lawsuit, saying the merger would violate head-to-head competition between the two grocery chains, consolidating an already heavily concentrated market. “Coloradans are concerned about undue consolidation and its harmful impacts on consumers, workers and suppliers,” Weiser said. “After 19 town halls across the state, I am convinced that Coloradans think this merger between the two supermarket chains would lead to stores closing, higher prices, fewer jobs, worse customer service and less resilient supply chains." Kroger and Albertsons compete head-to-head in several ways, according to Weiser. The companies monitor each other closely on price and adjust their prices based on what the other is doing, the attorney general said. The two chains also compete to offer the best prices on local products to draw customers into their stores, Weiser said. Both Kroger and Albertsons sell Palisade peaches on promotion, sometimes at a loss, to generate store traffic. This benefits Palisade peach farmers because they can be assured of a fair price and avenues to sell their crops and it benefits customers because they are able to get a local product at a low price, Weiser said. Kroger operates 148 King Soopers and City Market stores in Colorado. Albertsons operates 105 Safeway and Albertsons locations in the state, according to the attorney general. In urban areas, where consumers shop close to home, the merger would create significant market power to raise prices and reduce quality and services, Weiser said. Read more here: https://www.9news.com/article/money/business/kroger-albertsons-merger-colorado/73-5c2104ad-282e-4495-bf21-28c05d65af7f More local videos here: https://youtube.com/@9news Subscribe to NEXT: https://youtube.com/@Nexton9NEWS Stay connected: 9NEWS Website: https://www.9news.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ilike9news Twitter: https://twitter.com/9NEWS Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/9newsdenver/ Download the 9NEWS App: https://www.9news.com/appredirect/ Sign up for the 9NEWSLETTER: https://www.9news.com/email 9NEWS (KUSA) is located in Denver, Colorado.