At the heart of the federal government’s fight to block Kroger Co. from buying Albertsons Cos. for $24.6 billion is an existential debate about how Americans buy their groceries today.

Analysts and the stock market are weighing in on what they expect to happen as closing arguments have wrapped up in Kroger Co.’s court battle with the Federal Trade Commission seeking approval for its planned $24.6 billion acquisition of rival Albertsons Cos. Inc.

During opening statements of Washington state’s case against the Kroger, Albertsons merger Monday, attorneys representing the state’s attorney general’s office made the argument that if the $24.6 billion merger deal goes through, it could negatively alter the grocery landscape in Washington State.