Kroger Company (The)
KR
Consumer Staples
4
exclusion reasons
4 themes
Kroger Company (The) is screened out under 4 exclusion reasons spanning 4 issue categories.
This page is part of our public exclusion list — a transparency tool that shows which companies we screen out and why. It is not investment advice, and it is not an accusation. It is a statement of values.
Kroger has engaged in a documented pattern of deceptive pricing practices that systematically overcharge customers at the point of sale. Investigations by Consumer Reports and other consumer watchdogs in 2025 found Kroger stores in multiple states listing expired sale tags on shelves but then charging customers the regular, higher price at checkout. This practice of advertising discounts that are not honored at the register exploits customer trust and results in direct financial harm to shoppers.
The company’s digital and data practices further compound consumer harm. Consumer Reports has also exposed issues with Kroger’s online consent management, where dark patterns and malfunctioning banners fail to properly block tracking cookies and data collection, undermining user privacy. This combination of overcharging at physical stores and opaque data extraction online reflects a business model that prioritizes extracting maximum value from customers through potentially exploitative means, rather than competing on transparent value.
National Opioids Settlement (nationalopioidsettlement.com) - Dispenser/Pharmacy chain; $1.37B settlement over ~18 years (finalized Nov 2024); disregarded its own pharmacy data and customer thresholds, dispensed excessive amounts of opioids, failed to report suspicious prescription activity
Kroger Company has not been documented as owning or operating for-profit prisons, immigration detention centers, or juvenile detention facilities. The evidence gathered pertains to allegations of forced labor within its supply chains, which falls under the `forced_labor` or `worker_exploitation` exclusion categories, not `private_prisons`. A targeted search for prison-related contracts, commissary services, or correctional service revenue found no supporting evidence for this specific exclusion code. This record should be lifted.
Kroger Company is a major grocery retailer that derives significant revenue from the sale of meat, poultry, seafood, dairy, and eggs across its supermarket banners. The company operates its own meat processing plants and dairy facilities, making it a vertically integrated producer and processor of animal products. This record is based on the company's core business model; specific revenue percentages and operational details require further evidence gathering from company financial reports and supply chain disclosures.
Research Sources
13 organizations
Related Exclusions
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Companies appear on our exclusion list based on our investment judgment — not because they've done anything illegal. This is a difference of values and opinion, not an accusation of wrongdoing. Exclusion does not constitute a recommendation against investing in any company, and absence from the list does not constitute a recommendation to invest.
This information is provided for educational and transparency purposes only and should not be relied upon as investment advice. Data is drawn from independent watchdogs, NGOs, government registries, and Ethical Capital's ongoing research — see Research Sources for the full list.
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