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PEAK INFLATION EARLIER THIS YEAR. >> NBC BRIAN CHEUNG REPORTING. THE PRICES WE PAY DEPEND PARTLY WHERE WE SHARP. TWO OF AMERICA'S LARGEST GROCERY STORE CHAINS ARE APPEARING TO MERGE. KROGER AND ALBERTSONS. THAT DEAL IS WORTH $25 BILLION. THE LARGEST GROCER IN THE U.S. BY FAR IS WALMART. KROGER IS SECOND, THEN COSTCO AND ALBERTSONS IS FOURTH. TOGETHER, THE MERGER WOULD ACCOUNT FOR 16% OF ALL GROCERY STORES IN THE U.S. YOU MIGHT NOT SHOP AT KROGER OR ALBERTSONS MAYBE SHOP AT A STORE THEY OWN. KROGER'S OTHER BRANDS INCLUDE RALPH, MARIANO, BILLIONS, KING SOOPERS, HARRIS PETER, SMITH, PICK AND SAVE. ALBERTSONS COMPANIES INCLUDE SAFEWAY, BONDS, JEWEL-OSCO, SHAWS, ACME, TOM THUMB, PAVILION. WITH THE MERGER, KROGER PLANS TO INVEST IN LOWERING PRICES FOR CUSTOMERS. GROCERY PRICES ARE UP 12% NATIONWIDE FROM LAST YEAR. LAWMAKERS AND REGULATORS SAY THIS MERGER WOULD INCREASE CONSUMER COST. WHAT IS THE CASE FOR MERGING? WHAT COULD IT MEAN FOR YOU? JOINING US IS SARAH MILLER, FOUNDER AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE AMERICAN ECONOMIC LIBERTIES PROJECT, NONPROFIT FOCUSED ON ANTI-MONOPOLY MOVEMENT. THE ORGANIZATION PUBLICLY OPPOSED TO THIS PLANNED MERGER. WELCOME, GOOD TO HAVE YOU WITH US. >> THANKS, THANK YOU FOR COVERING THIS IMPORTANT STORY. >> Reporter: CAN YOU TELL US IN A NUTSHELL WHY YOUR ORGANIZATION OPPOSES THIS MERGER? >> SURE THIS MERGER IS ONLY GOOD FOR A COUPLE PARTIES, THOSE ARE THE SHAREHOLDERS FOR KROGER'S AND ALBERTSONS. AS YOU COVERED YOUR ERIC ELEAM SEGMENT, FOOD PRICES ON THE RISE AND PROFIT MARGINS FOR GIANT SUPERMARKET CHAINS LIKE FIGURES AND ALBERTSONS, ALSO OWN A HOST OF OTHER SMALLER SUPERMARKETS ALL OF THE COUNTRY, HAVE REALLY BOOMED OVER THE LAST COUPLE YEARS. THE BENEFICIARIES OF THIS MERGER ARE THE SHAREHOLDERS, THEY WILL NOT BE CONSUMERS, CERTAINLY NOT WORKERS AND AT A MOMENT IN WHICH THE ECONOMY IS CONSOLIDATED IN WAYS THAT ARE HARMING EVERYDAY FAMILIES TRYING TO MAKE ENDS MEET, THERE IS SIMPLY NO REASON ANTITRUST ENFORCERS SHOULD ALLOW THE MERGER TO GO THROUGH. >> ELABORATE ON THAT. THESE MERGERS ARE HARMING EVERYDAY FAMILIES TRYING TO MAKE ENDS MEET. GIVE ME AN EXAMPLE OF HOW THAT PLAYS OUT. >> SURE. WHEN A SUPERMARKET CHAIN HAS A STRONG DOMINANT MARKET POSITIO , SUPERMARKET CHAINS ARE VERY REGIONAL, LOCAL, FOR EXAMPLE, MY NEIGHBORHOOD, THERE'S SAFEWAY AND HARRIS TEETER ACROSS THE STREET, MOST CONSUMERS WOULD NOT KNOW THEY ARE OWNED BY THE SAME PARENT COMPANY. THEY DON'T HAVE TO COMPETE ON PRICE. THERE IS LESS COMPETITION. WHEN YOU SEE THESE LARGE CHAINS MERGING, THAT ESSENTIALLY LIMITS COMPETITION, FAIRLY STRAIGHTFORWARD, IT ALLOWS THOSE COMPANIES TO EXERCISE THAT MARKET POWER IN WAYS THEY CAN EXPLOIT CONSUMERS AND WORKERS, EXPLOIT DOWNSTREAM SUPPLIERS AND SMALLER COMPETITORS LIKE INDEPENDENT GROCERIES, WHO RAISE PRICES ACROSS THE BOARD IN A WAY THAT SIMPLY IS NOT BENEFICIAL FOR THE PUBLIC. I THINK IT IS UNLIKELY TO PROCEED IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE. >> YOU MENTIONED PETITION. WHY DEMOCRATIC SENATOR AMY KLOBUCHAR OF MINNESOTA AND REPUBLICAN MIKE LEE OF UTAH WANT THE SENATE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE ON COMPETITION POLICY...