Kroger to lay off some 200 corporate employeesKroger to lay off some 200 corporate employees

Kroger Co. has internally announced that it is eliminating as many as 200 positions across three office sites at its headquarters in Cincinnati, according to a news report from the Cincinnati Business Courier.

Kroger spokesperson Erin Rolfes confirmed that Kroger has laid off employees but provided no details about the restructuring. 

“As we continue delivering fresh, affordable food to our customers, we are focusing on key priority areas that support our go-to-market strategy. As part of this prioritization work, we announced team restructures and a small number of eliminated roles to improve efficiency,” the company said via email. 

The Cincinnati Business Courier reported that unnamed sources within the company said Kroger has eliminated a “couple hundred jobs as it shuts down or lowers the priority of projects the company has opted not to continue …”

Those layoffs took place last week and include Kroger staff located at its downtown Cincinnati headquarters, along with the company’s 84.51 data compilation and analysis unit, and its Kroger Technology & Digital team.

The story added that the company has not filed notices under the Federal Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act, which is required if a company of its size lays off more than 500 workers at a single site. 

Sources told the Cincinnati Business Courier that the layoffs were not connected to the grocer’s failed merger with Albertsons last year. 

The news follows a round of layoffs planned for Albertsons, which announced in early January that it plans to cut $1.5 billion in costs over the next three years. 

On Friday, it was revealed that Albertsons plans to lay off nearly 400 corporate employees, 225 in Phoenix and 156 across two locations in Pleasanton, California. Those layoffs are expected to take place on Feb. 22.