Kroger, the largest supermarket chain in the US by revenue, is facing scrutiny following a Consumer Reports investigation that found customers were routinely overcharged for everyday groceries due to expired promotional pricing, the Independent has reported.
The three-month investigation was prompted by claims from Kroger employees in Colorado, who alleged the company was aware of widespread pricing errors.
To investigate further, Consumer Reports visited 26 Kroger-owned stores across 14 states and Washington, D.C., including Harris Teeter, Ralphs, and Fry’s.
Researchers found that more than 150 items were priced incorrectly due to expired sale labels. On average, customers paid $1.70 more than the advertised price on items such as cereal, meat, coffee, and cold and flu medication.
In some cases, Consumer Reports said sale tags were expired by more than 90 days. Roughly one-third of the sale tags examined were outdated by at least 10 days.
Kroger denies claims, cites billions of transactions
A Kroger spokesperson rejected the report’s findings, calling the allegations “misinformation” based on “a handful of discrete issues from billions of daily transactions.”
The company added that the investigation “in no way reflects the seriousness with which we take our transparent and affordable pricing.”
“Kroger’s ‘Make It Right’ policy ensures associates can create a customer experience and address any situation when we unintentionally fall short of a customer’s expectations,” the company said. It also disputed any connection between its pricing policies and technological systems, saying such a link was “incorrect.”
While not every store examined showed pricing issues, Consumer Reports argues the findings point to a systemic problem.
“People should pay the price that is being advertised — that’s the law,” said Edgar Dworsky, founder of Consumer World.
“The issue here is that shoppers can’t rely on the shelf price being accurate, and that’s a big problem.”
Inflation fears and consumer distrust on the rise
The investigation comes amid growing concern over rising prices, with many consumers already uneasy about the potential inflationary impact of President Donald Trump’s trade tariffs. Though inflation remains at its lowest level in four years, recent Consumer Price Index data showed a 0.2% increase last month.
Some Kroger customers who spotted discrepancies reported that store employees were responsive and corrected the pricing errors once notified.
Still, the report raises questions about transparency at a time when shoppers are increasingly sensitive to even small price changes.
Click here to sign up to Retail Gazette‘s free daily email newsletter
