The Kroger Co. is a publicly traded (NYSE: KR) Ohio-incorporated grocery retailer whose privacy policy discloses collecting biometric (facial-recognition) and CCTV/camera data in stores and combining information across its "Kroger Family of Companies," feeding its wholly owned data-science subsidiary 84.51 LLC, which markets itself as reaching over 62 million U.S. households for retail-media and advertising purposes. Kroger's own privacy policy discloses sharing personal information with "AdTech companies," and its App Store privacy label confirms data (contact info, identifiers, usage data) is used to track users across apps and websites owned by other companies. Corporate ownership is traceable through routine SEC 10-K filings, which name 84.51 LLC as a subsidiary. Kroger disclosed a 2021 data-security incident tied to third-party vendor Accellion affecting a limited set of HR, pharmacy, and loyalty-program data, and in 2024 U.S. senators sent Kroger a letter alleging its planned "EDGE Shelf" digital price tags would use Microsoft-partnered, camera-based facial recognition to infer shopper age/gender for personalized pricing and offers. Kroger has directly denied that specific allegation: a Kroger spokesperson stated in January 2025 that the company does "not use facial recognition technology in connection with electronic shelf labels or pricing," and Microsoft stated that Kroger is not using its facial recognition technology. That denial is scoped to shelf labels and pricing -- Kroger's own privacy policy still discloses biometric facial-recognition collection in some store locations for other stated purposes, and the senators' allegation has not been withdrawn.
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Kroger's privacy policy discloses that its wholly owned subsidiary 84.51 LLC collects personal information from other companies within the 'Kroger Family of Companies,' both to support Kroger's own business operations such as loyalty programs and to serve 84.51's outside business clients.
84.51 LLC, Kroger's retail data-science and media subsidiary, states on its own website that it builds understanding of consumer and purchase behavior, both in-store and online, by leveraging data from over 62 million U.S. households.
The Kroger Co.'s SEC Exhibit 21.1 subsidiary filing lists '84.51 LLC [Ohio]' by name among its dozens of disclosed subsidiaries, publicly confirming 84.51 as a formally registered Kroger subsidiary.
The Kroger Co.'s SEC Form 10-K cover page identifies it as an Ohio corporation with a listed IRS Employer Identification Number, filed as part of its annual regulatory disclosures.
Kroger's own incident notice confirms it was impacted by the 2021 data-security incident affecting third-party vendor Accellion, Inc., with the compromised Accellion software used for secure file transfers of certain HR data and pharmacy and clinic customer information.
Apple's App Store privacy label for the Kroger app discloses that Contact Info, Identifiers, and Usage Data may be used to track users across apps and websites owned by other companies.
Kroger's privacy policy discloses using cameras and CCTV in and around its stores and premises, stating this technology is used for operational and security purposes, including measuring traffic patterns, tracking in-stock levels, and crime prevention.
A 2024 letter from U.S. Senators to Kroger's CEO alleges that, through a partnership with Microsoft, Kroger plans to place cameras at its digital 'EDGE Shelf' displays that use facial recognition to determine a shopper's gender and age in order to serve personalized offers and advertisements.
Kroger has directly denied the specific facial-recognition allegation raised by members of Congress. Spectrum News 1 reported on January 28, 2025 that a Kroger spokesperson said the company does 'not use facial recognition technology in connection with electronic shelf labels or pricing' and that Kroger 'does not use facial recognition in the Louisville Division,' while a Microsoft spokesperson said 'Kroger is not using Microsoft facial recognition technology, and the current digital price tag technology being used is not the technology we piloted in 2019.' The denial is scoped to electronic shelf labels and pricing; Kroger's own privacy policy separately discloses biometric facial-recognition collection in some store locations for other stated purposes.