Some small grocery stores and neighborhood convenience stores are eager for the U.S. government shutdown to end and for their customers to start receiving federal food aid again. Late last month, the Trump administration froze funding for the SNAP benefits that about 42 million Americans use to buy groceries. The U.S. Department of Agriculture says about 74% of the assistance was spent last year at superstores like Walmart and supermarkets like Kroger. Around 14% went to smaller stores that are more accessible to SNAP beneficiaries. A former director of the United Nations World Food Program says SNAP is not only a social safety net for families but a local economic engine that supports neighborhood businesses.

Kroger and Albertsons are defending their plan to merge in a hearing that began Monday in federal court in Oregon. In October 2022, the chains proposed what would be the largest supermarket merger in U.S. history. They say joining together would help them compete with big rivals like Walmart and Costco. But the Federal Trade Commission sued to try to block the merger, saying it would eliminate competition and raise grocery prices. After a three-week hearing, U.S. District Judge Adrienne Nelson will decide whether to grant the FTC's request for a preliminary injunction, which would block the merger while the case goes through in-house proceedings at the FTC.

Target says it will no longer accept personal checks from shoppers as of July 15. The Minneapolis-based discounter confirmed the move in a statement to The Associated Press on Tuesday, citing "extremely low volumes" of customers who still write checks. It's another sign of how a once ubiquitous payment method is going the way of outmoded objects like floppy disks and the Rolodex. Target said it remained committed to creating an easy and convenient checkout experience with credit and debit cards, "buy now, pay later" services and the Target Circle membership program. Target's decision leaves Walmart, Macy's and Kohl's among the retailers that still accept personal checks at their stores.