Kroger, a U.S. grocery chain, responded to a lawsuit from competitor Albertsons by filing a countersuit on Tuesday. The legal dispute between the two companies unfolded after their planned $25 billion merger was prevented by court rulings.

Albertsons pulled out of the merger agreement in December, blaming Kroger for breaching the contract and causing the deal to fall through. This brought an end to their two-year attempt to merge, with regulatory concerns highlighting potential price increases for consumers.

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