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Kroger

U.S. grocery chain and parent company of other grocery brands

Kroger
Kroger's Sustainability Rating

Poor


  • Sourcing & Stocking

    Environmentally-mindful sourcing and stocking commitments?: No

    Promotes collections that help consumers make conscious decisions?: No / not found

    Stocks any Commons top-rated sustainable brands? (proportion of rateable categories): Not analyzed yet

    Has time-bound targets to improve its sourcing for owned-brand products?: Yes - but only partial coverage

    On track for these targets?: Yes - for some

    Certifications for owned-brands and products?: Yes

    These certifications include: RSPO, MSC, ASC


  • Packaging & Plastics

    Heavy reliance on virgin petro plastic?: Yes

    Shares info on ecommerce packaging?: N/A

    Shares info on in-store and upstream packaging?: Yes - but reporting could be improved

    Shares info on own-brand packaging?: Yes - but reporting could be improved

    Petro-based plastics in packaging?: Yes - but working to reduce

    Recycled plastic?: Partially Recycled

    Uses environmentally-mindful materials (non-plastic) in packaging?: Yes

    These materials include ones that are: recyclable, recycled.

    Targets for improving its packaging materials?: Yes - and reports on progress

    Initiatives to reduce packaging volume / intensity?: Yes - vague / limited

    Plastic waste reduction through partnerships?: Yes: The Recycling Partnership, Closed Loop Partners, Terracycle, and others


  • Energy & Water Use

    Uses renewable energy in its supply chain and/or offices?: Yes - only 1%

    Uses renewable energy in its stores?: No / not found

    Targets for increasing renewable energy?: No / not found

    On track for these targets?: N/A

    Energy efficiency measures?: Yes - thorough

    Efforts to lower shipping emissions (e.g. EVs)?: Yes - nonspecific

    Water conservation measures?: Yes - specifics shared

    Refrigerant management strategy?: Yes - specifics shared

    Any EPA GreenChill certified stores?: No / not found


  • Waste Reduction

    Alt models to promote consumer reuse and recycling?: Recycling schemes

    Packaging disposal guidance?: Yes

    Corporate waste reduction initiatives?: Other (incl general reducing landfill waste)

    Corporate waste reporting?: Yes - thorough / all

    Food waste reduction initiatives?: Yes - thorough

    Food waste reporting?: Yes - thorough


  • Slow Consumption

    Promotes overconsumption?: No


  • Marketing

    Commons is still evaluating this brand's marketing emails.


  • Transparency & Reporting

    Sustainability page on consumer site?: Yes - buried

    Voluntary annual sustainability report?: Yes

    Last published: 2024


  • Emissions Tracking

    Reports its emissions?: Yes

    Breakdown in CO2e?: Yes

    Last reported in: 2024

    Estimated emissions footprint: 7648476 tons CO2e

    Scope 1+2 emissions intensity compared to industry / competitor average: High


  • Targets & Offsets

    Science-aligned emissions reduction targets?: Yes - science-aligned

    Target timeframe: Long-term (10+ years)

    Reports progress?: Yes - on track

    Climate neutral certification?: No

    Offsets emissions?: No / not found


  • Supply Chain & Labor

    Publishes supplier information for owned production?: No

    Publishes supplier code of conduct?: Yes

    Code of conduct: prohibits forced labor, prohibits child labor, ensures the right to collective bargaining

    Code of conduct does not sufficiently: disallow unauthorized subcontracting, ensure a living wage, establish grievance mechanisms, include environmental clauses

    Code of Conduct covers all applicable suppliers (own-production and stocked-brand)?: Yes

    Labor certifications in supply chain?: No

    3rd-party criticisms of supply chain or labor conditions?: Yes - few


  • Advocacy

    Discloses all trade association memberships?: Yes

    Climate-obstructive trade association memberships: 1 - U.S. Chamber of Commerce

    Pro-climate advocacy memberships?: No

    Employs state lobbyists?: Yes

    Percentage of lobbyists that are fossil-fuel aligned: Low 1-6%

    Donated more than $100k to any candidates or PACs from 2018-2024?: Yes

    Amount donated: $100-500K

    How much more was given to obstructive candidates/PACs?: 48 percent

Kroger has an overall lack of sustainability efforts and disclosures, and it contributes significantly to climate-obstructive financing. We expect more reporting, accountability, and action from a company of its size.

Kroger is holding back government climate action through its money and influence. It has donated $364500 to climate-obstructive candidates or PACs since 2018. It spent 48% more on climate-obstructive candidates or PACs than on pro-climate ones. These actions outweigh much of the progress it has made in other areas.

Kroger uses primarily plastic packaging of a virgin or undisclosed source, which contributes greatly to waste production and excess energy use. It does have targets to improve its packaging materials, and it has reported on progress. It also has initiatives to reduce waste in its corporate operations and reduce food waste in its supply chain. It provides detailed reporting on both.

However, Kroger doesn't disclose the proportion of renewable energy used in its supply chain, stores, or offices. Nor does it share targets for increasing its use of renewables. It publicly shares its emissions measurements and has science-aligned reduction targets. Its targets are on track, though its scope 1+2 emissions intensity remains high compared to its competitors.

Our ratings are based on a scale from 1 (harmful) to 5 (best). How we rate →

https://www.thekrogerco.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Kroger-Co-2024-ESG-Report.pdf

https://www.thekrogerco.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Kroger-Co-2024-ESG-Report.pdf https://www.thekrogerco.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Kroger-No-Deforestation-Commitment_August-2020.pdf https://www.thekrogerco.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/The-Kroger-Co_Seafood-Sustainability-Policy_2018-July.pdf

https://www.kroger.com/i/ways-to-shop/delivery/kroger-delivery

https://www.thekrogerco.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Kroger-Co-2024-ESG-Report.pdf https://www.thekrogerco.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/The-Kroger-Co_Sustainable-Packaging-Goals_2020.pdf

https://www.epa.gov/greenchill/greenchill-certified-stores https://www.epa.gov/greenchill/food-retail-partners-0

https://www.climatefriendlysupermarkets.org/scorecard

https://www.thekrogerco.com/impact/reporting-hub/

https://www.thekrogerco.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Kroger-GHG-Goal-Roadmap_Feb-2023.pdf

https://www.thekrogerco.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/code-of-conduct.pdf

https://www.thekrogerco.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/2022-Political-Spending-Report.pdf

https://fminus.org/lobbyists/

https://www.fec.gov/data/browse-data/

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Category

Supermarkets & Grocery Stores


Tags

Grocery/Supermarket/Food Store/Food/Drink/Grocery Delivery


Sustainability information was last updated in January 2026.

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