The United States’ largest grocery chain set to cut 3,000 jobs
One of the largest and oldest grocery stores in the United States is set to cut its workforce by up to 3,000 over the next three years as it continues to ‘improve the customer experience and make work easier for associates’ with its AI strategy.
Kroger, which operates more than 2,700 total grocery and retail stores in North America, released a notice explaining how technology is ‘reshaping what’s possible’ in streamlining operations.
“The way work gets done is changing across every industry; we must adapt and take advantage of technology.
“We need to adopt capabilities, reduce duplicative work and look closely at where work is best fit to be done,” CEO Greg Foran explained in a memo to employees on Monday (12 October), as per the Associated Press.
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“Simplifying means making faster decisions and deploying more resources where they matter most.”
Fox Business reported that by eliminating 3,000 corporate positions over the next three years, the grocery giant would reduce its employee numbers by roughly 37 percent.
FOODbible has contacted Kroger for further comment.
“These decisions are never easy”
The news comes more than a year after Kroger axed around 1,000 corporate positions, according to Reuters.
It’s understood the Cincinnati-based company wanted to simplify its business after the proposed acquisition of Albertsons Cos collapsed, with regulators in the United States moving to block it.
At the time, Kroger’s then-interim CEO Ron Sargent told employees: “These decisions are never easy, but we know thoughtful, yet difficult, choices are necessary to set our organisation up for continued success.”
Kroger’s new AI strategy outlined
The most recent cuts come amid Kroger outlining its broader AI strategy on 22 September at the GroceryShop 2026 event.
At the time, the company announced it was expanding its use of proprietary and third-party AI models to streamline workflows and help employees manage daily tasks.
“Our latest investments in AI allow us to connect relevant business and operational signals to make decisions and take action faster,” said Kroger Chief Digital Officer Yael Cosset.
He insisted that the business’ goal would be to use the ‘right level of AI based on risk, repeatability, and the need for human judgement’, adding that Kroger’s AI journey would proceed in three stages: Assisted, augmented and autonomous, as reported by the Financial Express.
“This isn’t new for Kroger,” Cosset insisted. “We’ve long been using data science and artificial intelligence to serve our customers by precisely forecasting demand, connecting customers with the most relevant savings opportunities and helping them find and get the products they need.”
Caper Carts introduced at ShopRite
Kroger isn’t the only supermarket investing in technology recently, with major Walmart rival ShopRite recently introducing new interactive smart carts.
Known as Caper Carts, the technology is designed by Instacart to enable shoppers to add items to their trolley and have them automatically scanned at checkout.
This is thanks to an onboard barcode reader and built-in 80-pound produce scale, the US Sun explained.
The publication reports that as you put an item in your cart, a picture and its cost will appear on a tablet screen, which shoppers can use to pay and check out once they’re done shopping.
To leave the store with your groceries, you should head to the self-checkout area, pay and leave via the cart’s tablet.
Ella Scott