CINCINNATI, April 16, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The Kroger
Family of Companies (NYSE: KR) today announced the acceptance of
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits for
Pickup. The low-contact, convenient service allows customers to
shop online for groceries on Kroger.com or the Kroger app and pick
up their order curbside at a nearby Kroger store.
"Kroger is rolling out a payment capability across our nearly
2,800 grocery stores to allow more customers to access fresh,
affordable food and essentials through our Pickup service," said
Rodney McMullen, Kroger's chairman
and CEO. "We are committed to supporting all families as we work
together with our associates and communities and government
agencies and health organizations to flatten the curve during this
unprecedented pandemic."
How Pickup Works:
- Choose your preferred store location on Kroger.com or the
Kroger app
- Shop and place your order for groceries on Kroger.com or the
Kroger app
- Select a pickup date and time and SNAP/EBT as the payment
method. If you're using an EBT card, you'll present your payment
method at the time of pick up
- An associate shops for your order
- When it's time to pick up your order, look for the pickup signs
in the store's parking lot and pull into your parking spot then
call the number on the sign to let an associate know you've
arrived
- An associate will bring your order out and load it into your
car. At this time, EBT card customers can complete their
transaction via a mobile point-of-sale system and pay for
ineligible EBT purchases or any remaining balance with their debit
or credit card
"Kroger is excited to now have this SNAP/EBT payment option
available for Pickup customers as we rapidly activate the feature
in all our markets," said Yael Cosset, Kroger's chief technology
and digital officer. "Through our ecommerce services, we remain
committed to providing our customers with ways to save more time
and maintain physical distancing."
Kroger currently offers Pickup at more than 2,000 stores across
America. Already live in Ohio,
Kroger anticipates having the ability to support EBT card payments
at all stores by the end of April.
Kroger has taken several steps to support its higher volume of
Pickup orders, including hiring additional e-commerce associates,
adding more order pick-up slots, increasing customer communication
and piloting a pickup-only store location in Cincinnati. Additionally, Kroger has waived
the Pickup fee (generally $4.95) for
all orders, with no minimum purchase threshold required, to
encourage more customers to use the low-contact service during the
pandemic.
The Kroger Family of Companies has also recently expanded the
following helpful services and programs to benefit customers and
associates:
Improved Scan, Bag, Go
To help customers shop safely
and quickly, Kroger is in the process of rolling out the improved
Scan, Bag, Go mobile app nationwide. Customers using the feature
can bring their clean reusable bags to the store where permissible
– or use bags available at the store – to shop, scan and bag their
groceries as they go. When a customer completes their shopping
trip, they can pay with their phone, allowing them to bypass the
traditional checkout process.
Kroger Pay
Kroger Pay is another capability within the
Kroger mobile app that provides a contactless payment solution,
simplifying the checkout and payment process for customers. The
capability is available in several markets.
Waived Check Cashing Fee for Government-Issued Checks
Starting April 24, the Kroger Family
of Companies is supporting the CARES Act by temporarily waiving the
check-cashing fee for government-issued checks for customers and
associates.
Extension of $2 per Hour
Premium for Hourly Frontline Associates through May 2
The Kroger Family of Companies has
extended the Hero Bonus for hourly frontline grocery, supply
chain, manufacturing, pharmacy and call center associates. The
$2 premium above associates' standard
base rate of pay is being applied to hours worked March 29 through May 2. The premium is disbursed
weekly to ensure associates have access to additional cash.
Emergency Personnel Designation for Frontline
Associates
The Kroger Family of Companies and the
UFCW are calling on federal and state government leaders to
take swift action to designate associates at grocery stores as
"extended first responders" or "emergency personnel" to help
receive priority access to protective masks and other
benefits.
Drive-Thru COVID-19 Testing
The Kroger Family of
Companies has formed partnerships with local and state offices in
Kentucky and Tennessee to support drive-thru COVID-19
testing. Learn more here.
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About The Kroger Co.
At The Kroger Co.
(NYSE: KR), we are Fresh for Everyone™ and 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 shopping experience
under a variety of banner names. We are committed to creating
#ZeroHungerZeroWaste communities by 2025. To learn more about us,
visit our newsroom and investor relations site.
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SOURCE The Kroger Co.