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Bloomberg
Kroger Co. wants to help out with your wardrobe. The largest US supermarket chain is launching an apparel line that it pledges will be “playful, simple and uplifting.†It will be sold in 300 stores, including Fred Meyer and Kroger Marketplace locations.
Robert Clark, the company’s senior vice president of merchandising, said the brand “gives Kroger a chance to inspire and connect with our customers, offering effortless style every day,†according to
a statement.
Battered by food deflation and discounts, it has seen sales slump and profit margins erode. With competition intensifying and Amazon.com Inc.’s expansion onto Kroger’s home turf, the company is experimenting with new ideas. It is investing in technology as shoppers move online and has opened a restaurant. It may also sell off its convenience stores, which generate about $4 billion in sales.
With nearly 2,800 stores, Kroger has insisted it’s well-positioned
to compete with Amazon and
Wal-Mart Stores Inc. and the host
of other grocers it battles across
the country.