The report details how Kroger's surveillance pricing strategy, which potentially includes the use of facial recognition technology and electronic shelf labels to profile and target consumers, undermines consumer privacy and autonomy. By leveraging sensitive biometric data and personal shopping histories for dynamic pricing, Kroger is creating an opaque system that can disproportionately harm vulnerable populations and contributes to authoritarian practices in the realm of consumer control.

Kroger’s Surveillance Pricing Harms Consumers and Raises Prices, With or Without Facial Recognition – EPIC

The data from OpenSecrets indicates that Kroger Co, which has ties to Kroger Logistics, significantly invests in political contributions and lobbying. With $856,339 in contributions and $1.6M in lobbying in the 2024 cycle, these activities are seen as attempts to influence political outcomes. From an anti-fascist perspective, such corporate political spending may facilitate environments conducive to authoritarian practices by undermining democratic accountability.

Kroger Co Profile: Summary • OpenSecrets

The article describes a two‐week strike at King Soopers, a Kroger-owned grocery chain, where workers allege illegal interrogations, union discrimination, and punitive measures related to collective bargaining negotiations. Such actions indicate a serious disregard for labor rights and contribute to an environment where workers are exploited, aligning with concerns of complicity in authoritarian practices. Although the report pertains specifically to the grocery chain, it raises broader questions about the labor practices within the Kroger corporate umbrella, potentially reflecting similar values at Kroger Logistics.

Workers at Kroger-Owned Grocery Chain Start Two-Week Strike

Kroger’s planned deployment of facial recognition technology, intended for personalized advertising and pricing, has raised significant concerns due to its potential to facilitate biased, discriminatory practices. Lawmakers have warned that the technology could lead to unjust price hikes in predominantly Black and Brown neighborhoods and serve as a form of repressive surveillance. This aligns with concerns about the provision of repressive technologies, which are seen as contributing to authoritarian practices.

Kroger’s facial recognition plans draw increasing concern from lawmakers

The article highlights a major labor dispute where unionized workers at Kroger’s Food 4 Less locations authorized a strike in protest of stagnant wages, inadequate benefits, and poor working conditions, despite record profits. This contentious labor action reflects broader systemic issues in the treatment of workers within the Kroger corporate network, including its logistics division indirectly. Such practices contribute to corporate complicity in undermining workers' rights and exacerbate systemic inequality, which aligns with authoritarian, exploitative business practices.

Kroger’s Food 4 Less Workers Authorize Strike

Repeated allegations linking Kroger’s supply chain with forced labor and modern slavery practices indicate severe shortcomings in upholding human rights standards. As a crucial logistics partner, Kroger Logistics is indirectly implicated, reflecting poor labor relations and human rights practices.

Grocery giant and Fair Food holdout Kroger linked to yet another modern slavery ring

Kroger's political contributions and lobbying expenditures in 2023, as detailed in the report, demonstrate significant corporate involvement in political processes. Although contributions are split across party lines, the sheer scale of spending through both direct contributions and trade association dues raises concerns about the company's influence on policy-making, potentially facilitating conditions that undermine democratic processes and favor authoritarian outcomes.

The Kroger Co. 2023 Political Contribution Annual Report

The report of forced labour allegations in the watermelon supply chain highlights significant issues in supply chain ethics. Given Kroger Logistics’ integral role in transporting goods for the Kroger Company, such allegations indirectly implicate the logistics arm in broader ethical concerns. The company's failure to address these claims exacerbates worries over human rights and ethical sourcing practices.

Kroger did not respond to allegations of forced labour in its watermelon supply chain

By deploying real-time video monitoring technology to deter organized retail crime, Kroger is normalizing the use of surveillance systems that, despite their crime prevention goals, bear the risk of being integrated into broader systems of control. This technology, while effective in reducing shrink, mirrors tactics that can be used to stifle dissent and enforce compliance, aligning with concerns over the provision of repressive technologies.

Exclusive: Kroger targets crime with video technology

By immediately ceasing contributions to a nonprofit whose funds were being funneled to an anti-government militia, Kroger Logistics (through its parent company’s decision) actively distances itself from any potential complicity in enabling extremist political behavior. This proactive step underscores a commitment to ethical political conduct and helps mitigate risks of inadvertently supporting groups with far‐right, authoritarian tendencies.

Kroger ends contributions to nonprofit after learning it supported militia group

The report from American Democracy Scorecard scrutinizes the political contributions of Kroger, hinting at potential complications in the company's financial support for political entities. This raises concerns about the possibility of such contributions inadvertently supporting authoritarian policies. The focus on Kroger's political spending invites closer examination of whether their contributions are truly transparent and aligned with pro-democracy values, making this a notable event in the realm of Public and Political Behavior.

Kroger Political Contributions Tracker