Two top Kroger Co. executives took the stand Monday in the Denver District Court antitrust trial seeking to block the grocer’s $24.6 billion merger with Albertsons Cos., arguing the combination is key to competing with Walmart and will not harm Colorado consumers.

Supermarket giants Kroger and Albertsons have been locking horns with Colorado’s attorney general for nearly three weeks as the companies defend their $25 billion merger in Denver district court.

Highlights of Week 2 in Colorado’s antitrust case to block the Kroger-Albertsons merger include more on who might take over the Safeways.

Last week, millions of pounds of meat and poultry products were recalled because of possible contamination with Listeria monocytogenes. BrucePac, a pre-cooked meat company, issued the recall after the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) found the harmful bacteria during routine testing.

Meat producer BrucePac is recalling nearly 10 million pounds of meat and poultry products sold at Trader Joe's, Target, Kroger and other retailers because they might be contaminated with listeria.