Kroger Overcharging Shoppers in Ohio, Consumer Group Reports

A recent study by the Center for Responsible Food Business (CRFB) has revealed that a significant number of Kroger stores in Ohio are overcharging customers at checkout, with some discrepancies reaching as high as 55% above the advertised shelf price.

The report analyzed inspections of 101 Kroger stores across nine Ohio territories conducted between 2022 and mid-2026. Government inspectors documented 644 incorrect prices during 389 inspections. The CRFB found that 36 of the stores, approximately one-third, had at least one inspection where a customer was overcharged.

"People go to Kroger to feed their families, not to get ripped off at the register," said Taylor Warren, president of CRFB. "Customers are telling us they have to photograph price tags, challenge their receipts, and fight for refunds. When people need that kind of protection from their own grocery store, the company has failed them."

Of the incorrect prices recorded, errors favoring Kroger occurred roughly three times more often than those favoring shoppers. When customers were overcharged, the average discrepancy was nearly 20% above the advertised shelf price.

The report highlighted specific instances of significant price differences. In one case, a Butler County customer was charged $6.19 for a carton of Kroger eggs that was advertised at $3.99, a difference of $2.20, or about 55%. An inspector attributed this error to a digital coupon that failed to apply correctly. Another notable discrepancy involved fresh raspberries, which rang up at $3.49 instead of the advertised $1.47, a nearly $2.02 increase, also attributed to a weekly digital deal not being applied.

While the majority of incorrect prices favored Kroger, the report also noted that 170 undercharges were recorded. However, these instances were less frequent. A Consumer Reports study from a year prior also found that the Ohio-based chain was overcharging customers by an average of 18% across 26 stores.

"When an overcharge goes unnoticed, Kroger keeps money the customer was never supposed to pay," Warren stated. "Those extra dollars matter to working families trying to afford food. Calling it a pricing error does not make it harmless."

Kroger responded to the report by stating, "Our customers know that Kroger associates work hard every day to provide great service and value. Across millions of transactions in Ohio, we take pricing accuracy seriously and work quickly to correct any issue when it is brought to our attention."

A spokesperson for Kroger added, "This misleading report combines selective data with unverified claims and does not accurately reflect the experience of customers in our stores every day."

The CRFB emphasized that these price inconsistencies were found in Ohio and do not necessarily indicate a nationwide issue.