Kroger Updates Dress Code for Employees, First Change in a Decade

Kroger employees are now required to wear company uniforms as the grocery chain updates its dress code for the first time in ten years. Nearly 400,000 in-store workers must wear company-issued shirts featuring Kroger’s shopping-cart logo, according to Bloomberg. Employees will wear T-shirts or polos, while managers will receive button-down shirts or quarter-zip jackets, all in blue, red, or black depending on the store division. Previously, Kroger workers wore their own clothing under a company apron, along with a name badge identifying them as employees. The uniform changes were driven by feedback from both shoppers and employees, Kroger stated. A company spokesperson noted that the update is part of efforts to improve the shopping experience. The rollout has been completed, and the company reported a positive initial response. The spokesperson mentioned that associates appreciate the fit and cohesive look, and customers find it easier to locate staff. Additionally, Kroger updated its existing aprons, adding straps that cross in an X across the back after employees complained that the previous straight-back design irritated their necks. The uniform update comes amid scrutiny over other aspects of Kroger's operations. Last week, shoppers at some Ohio Kroger locations were reported to have been overcharged, according to the Center for Responsible Food Business. The consumer advocacy group found that 34 of 101 Kroger stores examined in Ohio had overcharged customers at checkout. Government inspectors documented 644 incorrect prices during 389 inspections of Kroger stores across nine Ohio territories from 2022 through mid-2026. Kroger is also undertaking a multiyear effort to close more than 60 stores identified as underperforming, redirecting resources toward locations considered stronger performers. The supermarket plans to shut down two stores in California, five each in Virginia and Wisconsin, four in Illinois, three in Indiana, two in Colorado, and at least one each in Kentucky, Maryland, North Carolina, Tennessee, and West Virginia as part of this closure plan. In a positive development, Kroger was named the cheapest for a store-brand grocery basket in July in a price comparison of four major U.S. grocery chains, outperforming Walmart, Aldi, and Albertsons.