Kroger is moving to keep customers from fleeing to competitors as grocery prices continue to rise and put pressure on wallets. In recent months, the grocery chain has taken steps to respond to this trend and is now doubling down with a new offer that lets shoppers save more on groceries.
In December last year, then-Kroger interim CEO Ronald Sargent flagged on an earnings call that consumer sentiment was declining due to concerns about the job market and inflation. He warned that shoppers were “managing their budgets carefully,” which is affecting their spending in stores.
“They’re making more trips,” he said. “They’re making smaller trips. The idea of stocking up is declining a bit. And we’re seeing this economy where high-income premium shoppers, they continue to spend, while lower-income customers are pulling back more aggressively.”
In response to this shift in customer behavior, he said Kroger will cut costs to make groceries more affordable for shoppers. The company has closed stores and fulfillment centers and conducted layoffs to yield savings to invest in the consumer.
Kroger expands savings for shoppers with limited-time deals
Kroger has since launched several discounts for shoppers. In January, it launched its Verified Savings Program for customers enrolled in government assistance programs, which offers a 20% discount on fruits and vegetables in its stores and half off Boost by Kroger Plus memberships.
It also rolled out extra savings on gas last month amid higher-than-usual prices. The grocery chain also plans to revamp its loyalty rewards program to include more simplified offers.
Now, it has launched a new savings event called “Online Deal Days,” which kicked off on April 22 and runs through May 5, according to a recent press release.
The event offers customers a slate of limited-time savings when they shop online. First, Kroger is offering shoppers $30 off their first pickup or delivery order of $75 or more. It is also granting them free delivery on orders totaling over $50.
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Additionally, during the event, customers can save on thousands of items with exclusive digital coupons for pickup and delivery orders.
This includes deals such as 25% off select Kroger brand frozen chicken, 25% off select Private Selection frozen fruit and frozen pizzas, and 25% off Simple Truth protein items.
Boost by Kroger Plus members can take advantage of extra savings during the event with discounts such as 10% off fresh produce (available April 22-28) and 10% off meat and seafood (valid April 29-May 5).
“Customers are prioritizing convenience, flexibility and value when they shop online,” said Jody Kalmbach, Kroger Digital Experience and eCommerce Group vice president, in the press release. “We’re focused on making shopping easy and rewarding, and with Online Deal Days customers get even more savings and convenience.”
Kroger faces rising pressure as shoppers deal with higher food prices
The launch of Kroger’s “Online Deal Days” event comes after food prices climbed by 2.7% year over year in March, according to recent U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Specifically, prices for food at home rose 1.9% year over year, while food away from home increased 3.8%.
As prices rise, consumer sentiment dropped about 11% earlier this month, according to data from the University of Michigan.
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“Assessments of personal finances declined about 11%, with consumers expressing a substantial increase in concerns over high prices and weaker asset values,” said University of Michigan Surveys of Consumers Director Joanne Hsu in a statement.
“Buying conditions for durables and vehicles worsened, again on the basis of high prices. Open ended comments show that many consumers blame the Iran conflict for unfavorable changes to the economy.”
Many consumers nationwide feel mounting financial pressure, resulting in a concerning ripple effect. A recent LendingTree survey found that roughly half of Americans are struggling to afford food.
How Americans are battling high food prices:
- About 52% of Americans said they’re spendingmore on food than they were in 2025.
- Roughly 49% said it’s at least somewhat difficult to afford food right now.
- Almost 90% have switched how they shop for groceries to combat higher food prices.
- To save money on food, 30% are paying closer attention to grocery prices, 24% are decreasing spending on “splurge” items, 23% are being more mindful of food waste and leftovers, and 23% are buying store or generic brands.
- Also, 84% of Americans have scaled back restaurant spending to save money.
Source: LendingTree
“While half of America struggles to afford food, concern extends beyond people reporting difficulty,” wrote Lauren Clifford, a senior writer at LendingTree, in the survey release.
“A majority are worried about affording food, with 11% reporting food anxiety almost always,” she continued. “Even people with household incomes above $100,000 are anxious — 57% report feeling concern about paying for groceries in the past month.”
It is vital for Kroger to address this growing problem, as it has lost market share over the past year, suggesting more consumers are looking elsewhere to shop for groceries.
While Kroger is the second-largest grocery retailer by dollar share, its market share decreased from 8.6% in March 2025 to 8.3% in March this year, according to recent Numerator data shared with TheStreet.
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