New report accuses Ohio grocery store chain of purposefully price gouging

At a time where groceries are more expensive than ever, an Ohio-based grocery store has been accused of using tactics to make them even less accessible.

An analysis of government inspections, combined with customer surveys, found that Kroger often overcharges and misleads customers. 

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Earlier this month, Center for Responsible Food Business released a report that said government inspections found overcharging at more than one in three Kroger stores examined across nine Ohio jurisdictions. Along with overpricing, Kroger was accused of pricing errors that favored Kroger three times as often as they favored shoppers.

From 2022 to mid-2026, inspectors recorded 644 incorrect prices and identified overcharges averaging more than 20% above the shelf prices. Shoppers also reported confusion regarding Kroger’s price guarantees, as well as misleading signage and “sales” that offered no actual discount.

In a 2024 trial, a Kroger executive testified that the grocery chain raised the price of milk and eggs above the rate of inflation. Another employee testified that Kroger raised their prices in neighborhoods where there weren’t many other grocery stores around.

This isn’t the first time Kroger has been accused of price gouging. Last year, they were under investigation for allegedly overcharging on items marked as discounted or on sale, as well as selling shopper data for profit. You can read more about that here.

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