Kroger Expands Food Access with Launch of Verified Savings Program with Discount on Fruits and Vegetables

Rhea-AI Summary

Kroger (NYSE: KR) launched the Verified Savings Program on Dec 29, 2025 to expand food access for customers receiving government assistance. Eligible shoppers who verify status via SheerID can get a 20% discount on fruits and vegetables and 50% off Boost by Kroger Plus memberships. Verification is valid for five months and must be reconfirmed to remain enrolled. The produce discount automatically loads to a Kroger digital account and is valid through Jan 31, 2026. Discount and Boost terms have location, item, and usage restrictions; Boost half-off prices include $34.50/year or $4.50/month for Boost Essential, and $49.50/year or $6.50/month for Boost.

Key Figures

Produce discount 20% off Discount on fruits and vegetables for Verified Savings enrollees through 1/31/2026

Verification period 5 months Eligibility verification for program valid for five months before reconfirmation

Boost Essential annual $34.50 per year Half-off Boost Essential membership for Verified Savings customers

Boost Essential monthly $4.50 per month Discounted monthly Boost Essential plan for eligible participants

Boost annual $49.50 per year Discounted full Boost plan for Verified Savings enrollees

Boost monthly $6.50 per month Discounted monthly Boost membership for eligible customers

Free delivery threshold $35 order minimum Unlimited free delivery benefit with Boost on orders over threshold

Dietitian visit length 30 minutes One free virtual dietitian session for Kroger Plus loyalty customers

Market Reality Check

$62.71 Last Close

Volume Volume 2,733,699 is light with relative volume at 0.39 vs 20-day average 6,928,035 ahead of this announcement. low

Technical Shares at 63.25 trade below the 200-day MA of 67.95 and about 15.55% under the 52-week high of 74.9, yet above the 52-week low of 58.12.

Peers on Argus

KR was up 0.51% pre-news with mixed peer moves: ACI up 1.16%, TGT up 3.08%, GO up 0.69%, while SFM and WMK were slightly negative. With no peers in the momentum scanner and no same-day peer headlines, this looks more stock-specific than a broad grocery move.

Historical Context

Date	Event	Sentiment	Move	Catalyst
Dec 23	Share repurchase	Positive	+0.0%	Board approved additional <b>$2.0B</b> share repurchase, leaving <b>$2.9B</b> capacity.
Dec 10	Marketing promotion	Positive	-2.6%	Holiday Murray’s Cheese program and gifting, with expanded seasonal offerings.
Dec 04	Real estate project	Positive	-4.6%	Kroger-anchored shopping center announced within a larger mixed-use development.
Dec 04	Earnings update	Negative	-4.6%	Q3 2025 loss driven by <b>$2.6B</b> impairment related to fulfillment network.
Dec 01	Seasonal promotion	Positive	+0.4%	Launch of 12 Merry Days digital coupon event across early December.

Pattern Detected

Recent promotional news and buyback actions have produced modest or mixed price reactions, while earnings and impairment-related updates drew notably negative moves.

Recent Company History

Over the last month, Kroger combined capital returns with brand and promotional initiatives. On Dec. 23, 2025, the board authorized an additional $2.0B in share repurchases, bringing available capacity to about $2.9B, with barely any next-day price change. Earlier in December, Q3 2025 results and large automated fulfillment impairments coincided with a -4.62% move. Marketing-driven events like “12 Merry Days of Deals” and Murray’s Cheese promotions saw small, mixed price reactions, suggesting day-to-day trading only modestly tracks such news.

Market Pulse Summary

This announcement introduced a Verified Savings Program that gives eligible customers a 20% discount on fruits and vegetables and reduced Boost membership pricing through Jan. 31, 2026. It builds on Kroger’s existing digital and loyalty infrastructure to target government-assistance recipients with delivery, fuel rewards, and nutrition support. In the context of recent impairments and ongoing capital returns, investors may monitor adoption rates, incremental traffic, and any commentary on how these benefits affect profitability and long-term customer loyalty.

AI-generated analysis. Not financial advice.

Retailer offers 20% discount on produce and half-off Boost memberships to eligible customers

CINCINNATI, Dec. 29, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR) today launched its Verified Savings Program that provides a 20% discount* on fruits and vegetables and half-off Boost by Kroger Plus memberships to customers who are recipients of various government assistance programs including SNAP, WIC, Medicaid and more. Customers may sign up online, using SheerID, a trusted verification service provider that helps retailers confirm eligibility. 

"Making fresh food more affordable and equipping more customers with free grocery delivery is an incredible step in expanding food access," said Carlo Baldan, Kroger group vice president of Fresh Merchandising. "With the launch of the Verified Savings program, we are thrilled to make fruits and vegetables more affordable and eliminate one more barrier to food security in our mission to end hunger." 

Customers may enroll in the program with an online verification form. Verification is good for five months and customers will need to reconfirm eligibility to remain enrolled. To learn more, visit here.

To receive 20% off fruits and vegetables, eligible customers simply need to have a Kroger digital account, enroll in Verified Savings and the offer will automatically be loaded to their account. Savings is valid on all fruit and vegetable purchases through January 31, 2026.

Verified Savings enrollees are eligible for half-off annual and monthly Boost membership plans*, including Boost Essential at $34.50 per year or $4.50 per month and Boost at $49.50 per year or $6.50 per month. Current Boost members who enroll in Verified Savings can redeem the offer at the time of renewal or extension of their membership. To learn more and enroll in Boost, click here.

Boost by Kroger Plus benefits include:

• Unlimited free delivery on orders of $35 or more*
• Boost 2x Fuel Points anyway customers shop*, with extra fuel points during fuel promotions
• Streaming option of Disney+, Hulu or ESPN+ (all with ads) for annual Boost members* 
• Member exclusive offers throughout the year

Using the Kroger app, customers can easily find nutrition options by utilizing the OptUP program and checking the FoodHealth Score of their favorite products. Kroger Plus loyalty customers can OptUP™ their nutrition further by unlocking one free 30-minute dietitian visit for customized product recommendations, meal hacks and delicious, budget-friendly meal planning inspiration to identify new ways to connect with food. These convenient virtual sessions fit customer schedules, providing connections with a registered dietitian from anywhere. Click here to sign up today. 

Disclaimers:
* Discount applies to qualifying produce items only at participating locations. Offer is non-transferable. Must use Shopper's Card for discount. Limit 1 redemption per day, per household through 1/31/26. Must be a verified Government Assistance recipient to earn discount. Exclusions apply; see store for complete list. Void if reproduced, transferred or where taxed, prohibited or restricted by law.

Boost Free Delivery: $35 order minimum. Restrictions apply. Subject to availability. Delivery time not guaranteed.

2x Fuel Points: Restrictions apply. See site for details.  Fuel points cannot be earned on alcohol, tobacco, gift cards or lottery tickets. Fuel Points can be redeemed at participating fuel locations.

Boost Streaming Benefit: Eligible subs only. Restrictions Apply. See retailer site for details.

Boost Verified Savings Offer is valid on Boost Annual or Monthly membership and may not be combined with Free 30-Day Trial offer or any other Boost enrollment offer. Void where taxed, prohibited or restricted by law. Must be a verified Government Assistance recipient at time of enrollment to earn discount. Government Assistance cannot be used to purchase Boost membership. Not verified? Click here to get started.

About Kroger 
At The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR), we are dedicated to our Purpose: To Feed the Human Spirit™. We are, across our family of companies more than 400,000 associates who serve over 11 million customers daily through an eCommerce experience and retail food stores under a variety of banner names, serving America through food inspiration and uplift, and creating #ZeroHungerZeroWaste communities. To learn more about us, visit our newsroom and investor relations site.   

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SOURCE The Kroger Co.

FAQ

What is Kroger's Verified Savings Program and who is eligible for KR discounts?

The program gives eligible government assistance recipients a 20% discount on fruits and vegetables after verification via SheerID; eligible programs include SNAP, WIC, Medicaid and similar.

How long is Verified Savings verification valid for Kroger (KR)?

Verification is valid for five months; customers must reconfirm eligibility to remain enrolled.

When does the 20% produce discount at Kroger (KR) expire?

The produce discount is valid through January 31, 2026.

How do Kroger (KR) customers enroll to receive the Verified Savings benefits?

Customers sign up online, verify eligibility through SheerID, then the discount automatically loads to their Kroger digital account.

What are the half-off Boost by Kroger (KR) membership prices for Verified Savings enrollees?

Half-off rates listed are Boost Essential $34.50/year or $4.50/month, and Boost $49.50/year or $6.50/month.

Does the Kroger (KR) Verified Savings produce discount work in-store and online?

The discount applies to qualifying produce items at participating locations and requires use of the Shopper's Card; exclusions and location participation apply.