Whole Foods Market Inc., the victor in a six-month antitrust battle with federal regulators, has positioned itself to complete its $565 million purchase of Wild Oats Markets Inc.

While the immediate impact will be felt in grocery stores, U.S. District Judge Paul Friedman’s ruling against the Federal Trade Commission two weeks ago — which the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit swiftly upheld — may have broader implications for antitrust law.