Latest news with #Kroger-owned
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Judge dismisses King Soopers' lawsuit against UFCW Local 7
This story was originally published on Grocery Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily Grocery Dive newsletter. King Soopers' lawsuit against United Food and Commercial Workers Local 7 was dropped Wednesday when the U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado granted the union's motion to dismiss the case. The Kroger-owned banner originally filed a lawsuit against the UFCW Local 7 in February, claiming the union violated the National Labor Relations Act by forcing the grocer into unlawful multi-union bargaining in the fall of 2024 with other labor groups that don't have ties with the grocer. This legal battle began following unsuccessful collective bargaining negotiations for new contracts and a nearly two-week strike covering approximately 10,000 unionized workers across nearly 80 King Soopers stores in Colorado in early February. In April, UFCW Local 7 filed counterclaims against King Soopers, accusing the grocer of acting in 'bad faith' and violating the 100-day stand-down agreement the two sides came to after the strike. At the time, the union claimed its members suffered damages like potential lost wages and benefits for workers due to the grocery company, according to the counterclaim. UFCW Local 7, which represents approximately 11,000 King Soopers and City Market workers, views this ruling as another victory for grocery workers: 'This lawsuit was just another meritless effort to crush working people and silence their voices, something [the judge] clearly recognized,' union local President Kim Cordova said in an emailed statement. 'Now more than ever, corporate interests are trying to squeeze working families in Colorado and across the nation. Workers in Colorado were forced to strike two different grocery giants this year, each of which sought to slash compensation for workers all the while dramatically increasing prices paid by consumers,' Cordova said in response to the Wednesday ruling. King Soopers did not respond by press time to a request for comment. King Soopers and UFCW Local 7 have 21 days from the date of the judge's decision to amend their pleadings. Recommended Reading King Soopers sues UFCW Local 7 over alleged coercion Sign in to access your portfolio
Newsweek
09-07-2025
- Business
- Newsweek
Kroger Stores Make Change to Coupon Policy
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Kroger, one of the United States' largest supermarket chains, introduced a new policy at select stores that allows shoppers to access digital-only discounts via printed flyers, addressing concerns from those unable to benefit from online coupons. A spokesperson for Kroger told Newsweek: "We are always listening to our customers to create a better shopping experience. To make it simpler for our customers to take advantage of the full value our stores offer, we are providing an easy-to-use flyer that customers can scan to save with digital coupons." FILE - A customer loads his truck after shopping at a Kroger grocery store on September 09, 2022 in Houston, Texas. FILE - A customer loads his truck after shopping at a Kroger grocery store on September 09, 2022 in Houston, It Matters The shift underscores the ongoing challenge posed by the digital divide, particularly among the elderly and lower-income shoppers. Digital-only coupon systems left out those who lacked reliable internet or smartphones, creating a disparity in grocery pricing and access to essential savings. According to two 2021 Pew Research Center reports, one in four adults aged 65 and over did not use the internet in 2021, and 13 percent of adults in low-income households lacked access to the internet whether through a smartphone or broadband, resulting in missed savings opportunities. What To Know Printed "Weekly Digital Deals" sheets are now available at entrances and customer service desks in participating Kroger-operated stores, including QFC and Fred Meyer locations in Seattle, according to a report by KOMO News. With these sheets, customers can scan a single barcode at checkout to access all advertised discounts, streamlining a process that otherwise required internet access and a smartphone. The new printed deal option has not yet been implemented chain-wide across all Kroger-owned grocery stores, the report said. During a recent earnings call, Kroger executives recognized the need for promotions that are "simple and accessible for all customers" but have not detailed a timeline or plan for company-wide implementation of the printed deals option. Earlier this year, Kroger was voted the 5th most trusted grocery and convenience store in the U.S. in Newsweek's 2025 ranking of America's Most Trustworthy Companies. "We work to earn trust every day by delivering great quality food at low prices," said Ron Sargent, Kroger's chairman and CEO. What People Are Saying Kroger CFO David Kennerley said during the earnings call: "Rather than a customer having to get out their phone to get a digital coupon in-store, we're trying to make the customer experience in-store much easier for them." Edgar Dworsky, founder of Consumer World, Checkbook, per KOMO News: "Kroger is finally doing something good for consumers who have been cut out of being able to use digital coupons." What Happens Next The Kroger spokesperson didn't specify which store brands and locations had adopted the printed "Weekly Digital Deals" flyers, or if the initiative was permanent.
USA Today
25-06-2025
- Business
- USA Today
Kroger set to close 60 stores across the country: Here's where, so far
More reports of Kroger-owned locations shuttering across the country are appearing as employees and customers learning that their closest store is set to close. The announcements come as Kroger said it would be closing 60 locations in the U.S. over the next 18 months, the company said on June 20. Erin Rolfes, a spokesperson for Kroger, told USA TODAY the company would not be releasing a full list of closures, but several closing locations have been identified through media reports in several states, including in Illinois, Kentucky, Texas and more. Interim CEO Ron Sargent said during a conference call on Friday, June 20, that the unprofitable stores being closed were spread around the U.S. Kroger operated 2,731 stores at the beginning of its fiscal year, meaning the closures represent about 2% of all of its locations. The chain also reaffirmed its plan to spend between $3.6 billion and $3.8 billion this year on capital expenditures, such as money for building new stores and expanding and renovating existing ones. Kroger also said it would offer roles in other stores to all associates currently employed at closing locations. Which Kroger locations are closing? Kroger has not released a full list of stores set to close, but news of some specific closures has emerged. Some closures have been disclosed by chapters of the United Food & Commercial Workers, a labor union representing approximately 1.3 million retail, meatpacking and food processing workers in the U.S. and Canada. Others have been reported by local media or confirmed by USA TODAY. Here's a running list of Kroger stores tapped for closure: Georgia Illinois Indiana Kentucky Louisiana Maryland North Carolina Tennessee Texas Virginia West Virginia Wisconsin Five Pick 'n Save stores are closing in Wisconsin, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, part of the USA TODAY Network. Pick 'n Save is owned by Kroger. Contributing: Sofia Joseph, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Fernando Cervantes Jr. is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach him at and follow him on X @fern_cerv_. Jonathan Limehouse covers breaking and trending news for USA TODAY. Reach him at JLimehouse@ Gabe Hauari is a national trending news reporter at USA TODAY. You can follow him on X @GabeHauari or email him at Gdhauari@
USA Today
25-06-2025
- Business
- USA Today
Thousands of workers could strike at Albertsons, Safeway stores in several states
Union workers at supermarkets such as Albertsons, Safeway and Kroger are seeking improved work conditions and wages and many are authorizing strikes as a way to get their demands. Grocery workers in five states have authorized strikes in an escalating and evolving series of labor actions against major supermarket chains, Albertsons and Kroger. In Colorado, members of striking United Food and Commercial Workers Local 7 wore placards saying 'Please Do Not Patronize Safeway' and 'Employees on Unfair Labor Practices Strike,' as they picketed at two Denver-area Safeway stores on Tuesday, June 24, to demand better staffing and higher wages. This comes after other local union members went on strike June 15 and picketed Albertsons and Safeway stores in Estes Park, Fountain, Pueblo, Littleton, and a distribution center in Denver, the union said. The Boise, Idaho-headquartered Albertsons owns over 2,200 retail stores nationwide, including Safeway supermarkets. The supermarket giant and the UFCW Local 7 had been negotiating a new contract since December 2024, before the previous one expired in January. During that time, UFCW Local 7 members went on strike at Kroger-owned King Soopers and City Market stores in the Denver metro area after that contract expired and negotiations failed. The two sides have yet to reach an agreement. 'Early on in negotiations, Safeway/Albertsons had shown signs of wanting to reach an agreement with workers, but instead the company has linked arms with King Soopers and City Market in seeking concessions from workers and retirees on fixed incomes,' UFCW Local 7 said in a press release. Harris Teeter: Five stores set to close this summer: See list Albertsons is facing labor strife in at least four other states. And in Indianapolis, UFCW Local 700 authorized a strike on May 31 when it voted down a four-year contract with Kroger. Kroger has since said it will close 60 stores, and the union has bargaining sessions planned for June 25. Collectively, there's more than 100,000 grocery workers potentially on 'the brink of a strike at the same time,' said UFCW Locals 324 and 770 Bargaining Committee in a press release on June 11. 'Should the workers call a strike, it could create the largest grocery strike in modern history, and a major labor disruption for two of the nation's largest grocery chains this summer, their busiest season of the year.' States with looming potential supermarket strikes In Colorado, UFCW Local 7 said it could expand strikes after initially starting in just four cities to give the public time 'to understand the problems these workers are facing, allow Safeway/Albertsons time to understand the seriousness of the workers' resolve, and at the same time reduce the hardship on shoppers and workers alike that result from a wide-spread strike.' Here's where strikes are happening or have been authorized: What to know about a possible strike. What could it impact? If strikes continue to spread, stores will remain open, staffed by managers or temporary workers. But coordinated strikes at stores in multiple states could multiply the effect on the parent companies, said Paul Clark, a professor of labor and employment relations at Penn State University. Picketing in front of supermarkets has a different effect than pickets at, say, a steel mill or other industrial site, he said. In the case of stores, 'the picket line is designed both to tell the employees we're on strike don't go to work, but also to tell the community, the shoppers, please don't cross our picket line and patronized this business because they're being unfair to us,' Clark said. 'So this is all part of the union trying to put pressure on the company, (and) the company trying to hold the line and get the best deal they can for the company,' he said. 'It looks like the two of them are pretty locked in, and they're probably going to see who, in fact, in the next week or two, you know, is hurting to the greater degree,' Clark said. 'They're sort of stuck in a sort of deadlock where they're both trying to put pressure on one another and seeing who's going to blink first.' Why are grocery workers looking to strike? While individual local unions may have separate demands, in general, workers want better wages and work conditions, including improved staffing. Understaffing has contributed, union leaders say, to a recent report compiled by Consumer Reports, along with The Guardian and the Food & Environment Reporting Network (FERN), into grocery overcharges at Kroger stores including Fred Meyer, Harris Teeter and Ralph's. The outlets state in the report that the investigation was begun after Colorado grocery workers alleged price errors during labor negotiations. The report found shoppers often paid full price for items advertised as discounted or on sale. 'Chronic understaffing in grocery stores prevents the company from making sure the prices on the shelves match the price a customer is paying at the register,' said UFCW Local 7 president Kim Cordova at the time. 'When Kroger dictates that workers' hours be cut in these stores, it is customers who pay the price.' Kroger told Consumer Reports the pricing errors were a 'few dozen examples across several years out of billions of customer transactions annually' and that 'the characterization of widespread pricing concerns is patently false.' Another factor, unions say, is that in the wake of a failed merger of Albertsons and Kroger, which was quashed in December 2024, the retailers are 'trying to squeeze workers and customers,' Cordova told The Pueblo Chieftain on June 16. 'They made this mess, this whole debacle, and they are ganging up on us.' Albertsons said charges of unfair labor practices 'are without merit,' in a statement to USA TODAY. 'We respect our employees' right to engage in collective bargaining and are negotiating in good faith to reach agreements that are fair to our employees, benefit our customers and keep our company competitive.' Mike Snider is a reporter on USA TODAY's Trending team. You can follow him on Threads, Bluesky, X and email him at mikegsnider & @ & @mikesnider & msnider@ What's everyone talking about? Sign up for our trending newsletter to get the latest news of the day
USA Today
24-06-2025
- Business
- USA Today
5 Pick N' Save stores set to close in Wisconsin: See where
Five Pick N' Save stores are set to close in Wisconsin as some Kroger-owned stores are shuttering across the United States. The grocery store chain confirmed the closure of the five locations in southeast Wisconsin to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, part of the USA TODAY Network. "This closure is part of a larger company-wide decision to run more efficiently and ensure long-term health of our business," a spokesperson said on June 23. The closures come as Pick N' Save's parent company, Kroger, said it would be closing 60 locations across the country over the next 18 months. Erin Rolfes, a spokesperson for Kroger, told USA TODAY the company would not be releasing a full list of closures, but several closing locations have been identified through media reports in several states, including in Illinois, Kentucky, Texas and more. Pick N' Save did not immediately respond to USA TODAY's request for comment on June 24. Here's what to know. Where are Pick N' Save stores closing? Contributing: Gabe Hauari and Jonathan Limehouse, USA TODAY Fernando Cervantes Jr. is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach him at and follow him on X @fern_cerv_.
