Retailer recognizing Earth Month by protecting
wildlife, introduces new reusable bags
CINCINNATI, April 1,
2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR), today
announced it is celebrating Earth Day the entire month of April,
kicking off with a contribution from its Zero Hunger | Zero Waste
Foundation to World Wildlife Fund (WWF). The company is also
sharing progress on its Zero Hunger | Zero Waste milestones and
introducing a new reusable bag campaign.
"Earth Month is more than a month of awareness, it's a chance to
refocus our commitment to advance positive impacts for our planet,"
said Keith Dailey, Kroger's group
vice president of corporate affairs and chief sustainability
officer. "Kroger is proud to support healthy, thriving communities
during Earth Month and every day through our Zero Hunger | Zero
Waste impact plan. We are excited to once again team up with WWF
for Earth Month, and we are grateful to our customers who are
joining our journey to protect our planet for generations to
come."
From now through April 30,
customers can round up their purchases to the nearest dollar amount
at checkout to benefit WWF, with The Kroger Co. Zero Hunger | Zero
Waste Foundation matching customer donations up to $50,000. One hundred percent of all donations
made during the month of April will go directly to WWF, the world's
leading conservation organization, working in 100 countries and
supported by five million members worldwide. Funds will benefit
WWF's conservation and sustainability efforts in our communities,
across the country and around the world.
"Over the past decade WWF has worked with Kroger to advance the
company's sustainability efforts," said Sheila Bonini, Senior Vice President, Private
Sector Engagement at World Wildlife Fund. "We need a healthy planet
to produce healthy food, and the generous support from Kroger and
their customers helps WWF continue protecting the future of
nature."
Kroger is committed to supporting healthy, thriving communities
through its signature Zero Hunger | Zero Waste impact plan that
emphasizes the unique role the retailer plays across the food
system as an employer, food processor, retailer, healthcare
provider and more. Since launching its impact plan in 2017, Kroger
has given $1.3 billion in giving to
hunger relief, which includes 582 million pounds of surplus fresh
food rescued and donated more than 3 billion meals directed to
communities.
As part of Kroger's Zero Hunger | Zero Waste commitment, the
retailer set a goal to establish food waste recycling programs in
95% of stores by 2025 for food that cannot be sold or donated. In
2023, Kroger achieved this goal two years early, with the help of
an ongoing, yearslong collaboration with Divert, Inc.—a company
that creates technology and infrastructure to protect the value of
food by keeping it out of landfills. Divert's program eliminates
the need to remove food from packaging in-stores, making it easier
to recycle food that cannot be sold or donated and reduce the
volume of food going to landfills. The food waste then goes on to
be transformed into compost and renewable energy, while the
packaging material is disposed of separately. To learn more about
the company's efforts to reduce retail food waste, check out this
video.
Beginning this month, Kroger will offer specially designed Zero
Hunger | Zero Waste reusable bags featuring favorite Kroji
characters. With the purchase of each bag, Kroger will donate
$1 to the Zero Hunger | Zero Waste
Foundation. Through innovation, collaboration and community
engagement, the Zero Hunger | Zero Waste Foundation is committed to
creating communities free of hunger and waste. Since 2018, the
Foundation has directed more than $59
million to organizations, innovators and changemakers across
the country.
To learn more about Kroger's Zero Hunger | Zero Waste progress
and download its 2023 Environmental, Social & Governance (ESG)
Report, visit here.
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 nearly half a million associates who serve over 11
million customers daily through a seamless digital shopping
experience and retail food stores under a variety of banner
names, serving America through food inspiration and uplift, and
creating #ZeroHungerZeroWaste communities by 2025. To learn more
about us, visit our newsroom and investor
relations site.
About The Kroger Co. Zero Hunger | Zero Waste
Foundation
The Kroger Co. Zero Hunger | Zero Waste Foundation is a
501(c)(3) public charity founded in 2018. Since its formation, the
organization directed more than $59 million to organizations,
innovators and changemakers across the U.S. who are working to end
hunger and waste in their communities. It encourages organizations
and founders to work together, catalyze innovation and create a
food system that will serve America into the future. Visit
www.thekrogercozerohungerzerowastefoundation.com to learn more.
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SOURCE The Kroger Co.