Sponsored By

Kroger joins grocers working to protect pollinators

Kroger will soon require all of its fresh produce suppliers to implement integrated pest management practices

Bill Wilson, Senior editor at Supermarket News

February 6, 2024

1 Min Read
honey bees.png
To establish a baseline of current practices, Kroger surveyed a sample of suppliers representing 40% of the grocer’s fresh produce spend on topics like pest management, soil health, biodiversity, and water conservation.Getty Images

Kroger has joined Whole Foods, Walmart, and Giant Eagle in an effort to protect pollinators and biodiversity. 

As part of the Cincinnati-based grocer’s social and governance strategy, “Thriving Together,” Kroger will require all of its fresh produce suppliers to implement integrated pest management practices for all products supplied to the retailer by 2028 or 2030 depending on the grower size. 

To establish a baseline of current practices, Kroger surveyed a sample of suppliers representing 40% of the grocer’s fresh produce spend on topics like pest management, soil health, biodiversity, and water conservation. 

Additional steps Kroger is taking include: 

  • Conducting a biodiversity risk assessment for its supply chain to understand potential biodiversity impacts beyond fresh produce

  • Preparing for future biodiversity reporting by piloting biodiversity metrics with row crop and specialty crop suppliers

  • Conducting a climate risk assessment in select commodities in its supply chain

“We now understand that biodiversity collapse is as pressing a threat to planetary health and our food supply as climate change. And the over 1 billion pounds of pesticides used annually in U.S. agriculture are drivers of both,” said Kendra Klein, Ph.D., deputy director of science at advocacy group Friends of the Earth, in a statement talking about Kroger’s efforts. “It’s past time for U.S. food retailers to take swift action to eliminate the use of toxic pesticides in their supply chains and speed the transition to organic and other ecologically regenerative approaches to agriculture. Despite this promising industry trend, efforts fall far short of what is needed to protect pollinators, people, and the planet from toxic pesticides.”

 

Read more about:

The Kroger Co.

About the Author

Bill Wilson

Senior editor at Supermarket News

Bill Wilson is the senior editor at Supermarket News, covering all things grocery and retail. He has been a journalist in the B2B industry for 25 years. He has received two Robert F. Boger awards for his work as a journalist in the infrastructure industry and has over 25 editorial awards total in his career. He graduated cum laude from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale with a major in broadcast communications.

Stay up-to-date on the latest food retail news and trends
Subscribe to free eNewsletters from Supermarket News

You May Also Like