Kroger announced plans to close 60 of its supermarkets across the United States over the next 18 months, representing about 5 percent of the Cincinnati-based company’s 1,239 Kroger-branded grocery stores across 16 states.
The popular grocery retailer revealed the closure plans while reporting first-quarter earnings on Friday but has not specified which store locations will be affected or released a list of impacted stores.
Newsweek reached out to Kroger on Saturday via email for comment.
Why It Matters
Companies close store locations for various reasons. While shifts in consumer shopping behavior and lower demand can cause stores to close, corporations often choose to shutter underperforming locations.
Sales dropped slightly to $45.1 billion compared to $45.3 billion for the same period a year earlier according to Kroger earnings data. The move comes as grocery retailers nationwide face mounting pressures from changing consumer habits, inflation, and increased competition from discount chains and online retailers.
More than 2,500 store closures are planned across the U.S. this year, according to The Mirror.
What To Know
Kroger expects the 60 store closures to provide a modest financial benefit to the company, according to a regulatory filing. In the first quarter, Kroger recognized an impairment charge of $100 million related to the planned closings. The company indicated that resulting savings will be reinvested into customer experience initiatives across remaining locations.
The closures affect Kroger’s extensive footprint spanning 16 states, though the company has remained tight-lipped about specific locations. The grocery retailer told CBS MoneyWatch that it will not be releasing a list of the affected stores. This lack of transparency has left employees and customers uncertain about which communities will lose their local Kroger.
However, Kroger says it is committed to supporting displaced workers. All employees at affected stores will be offered roles at other Kroger store locations, though details about relocation assistance or wage protection remain unclear.
The timing coincides with broader challenges facing traditional grocery retailers. Many chains are grappling with rising operational costs, changing shopping patterns accelerated by the pandemic, and fierce competition from warehouse clubs, dollar stores, and e-commerce platforms.
What People Are Saying
Kroger company statement: “As a result of these store closures, Kroger expects a modest financial benefit. Kroger is committed to reinvesting these savings back into the customer experience, and as a result, this will not impact full-year guidance.”
Director of Media Relations/Corporate Communications Erin Rolfes told Newsweek in an email response: “In the first quarter, Kroger recognized an impairment charge of $100 million related to the planned closing of approximately 60 stores over the next 18 months.”
Alex Beene, a financial literacy instructor for the University of Tennessee at Martin, previously told Newsweek: “For some major retailers, 2025 is becoming a year of consolidation. Retail locations that have struggled in recent years to remain profitable due to rising costs and less demand are being shuttered, as companies focus their efforts on more successful stores. The hope is these closures will ultimately produce more fiscal and operational efficiency, but it will come at the cost of customers who favored these locations having fewer options.”
Michael Ryan, a finance expert and the founder of MichaelRyanMoney.com, previously told Newsweek: “These aren’t random casualties; they’re strategic amputations of unprofitable limbs to save the corporate body…From $15+ minimum wages to supply chain inflation, all crushing their razor-thin margins. Combine this with the march of e-commerce and changing consumer habits post-pandemic, physical retail becomes a luxury many companies can no longer afford.”
What Happens Next
The 18-month closure timeline suggests Kroger will implement the plan gradually, though specific dates and locations remain undisclosed.
The post Kroger To Close 60 Stores Across US: What To Know appeared first on Newsweek.
