Recent findings by Consumer Reports highlighted significant pricing discrepancies at Kroger, revealing that many shoppers have been overcharged by an average of 18.4% due to outdated sale tags. This issue has been attributed to Kroger employees alleging that expired sale tags remain on products long after their validity, causing confusion at the register.
Consumer Reports conducted an extensive investigation across 24 Kroger and Kroger-affiliated stores in 14 states, uncovering more than 150 grocery items with stale pricing, some of which had not been updated for over 90 days. This resulted in an average overcharge of $1.70 per item. Edgar Dworsky, a consumer advocate, emphasized that shoppers deserve to pay the price being advertised, reinforcing that accuracy in pricing is a consumer right.
As Kroger has been implementing staffing cuts while earning record profits, employees expressed concerns that the store’s efforts to rectify these issues have been hampered. Notably, the company has reduced its workforce by an average of 10.3% in stores experiencing the most significant pricing errors between 2019 and 2024, while stores with less frequent mistakes saw only a 6.2% reduction.
However, Kroger disputed the report’s depiction of widespread pricing concerns, asserting their commitment to affordable and accurate pricing. To safeguard against potential overcharges, consumers are advised to be vigilant, checking their receipts against shelf prices and reporting discrepancies. Consumer advocate Derek Kravitz encourages shoppers to document sale prices and bring any issues to the attention of store management or consumer protection agencies to foster a more transparent shopping experience.
As the grocery landscape continues to evolve, consumers can help hold stores accountable and ensure fair pricing practices. By remaining proactive and engaged, shoppers can work together to address these pricing discrepancies.