Kroger Cuts Nearly 1,000 Corporate Jobs Across US After Merger Collapse

Kroger Co. is laying off nearly 1,000 corporate employees nationwide as part of ongoing cost-cutting and business simplification efforts under interim CEO Ron Sargent. These latest cuts, including 200 jobs in the Cincinnati area, mark the third wave of reductions in 2025 following prior layoffs and store closures. Sargent emphasized that the restructuring aims to free up resources to lower grocery prices, improve store operations, and create more store-level jobs. The layoffs come amid Kroger's strategic shift after its proposed merger with Albertsons was blocked by the government, and following the abrupt resignation of former CEO Rodney McMullen after an ethics investigation. Kroger plans to reinvest savings into growth areas, including new store openings, while halting projects unrelated to its core retail business. The company also recently settled a lawsuit arising from the failed Albertsons merger involving a $125 million termination fee dispute.