Kroger to spend $100m to fix refrigerant leaks
2nd May 2026
USA: Leading US retailer Kroger will pay a $2.5m civil penalty and spend an estimated $100m over the next three years to reduce refrigerant leaks from its refrigerators and other equipment.
The settlement resolves Kroger’s failure to promptly repair refrigerant equipment leaks of the ozone-depleting refrigerant R22 between 2014 and 2023. Kroger also said to have failed to keep adequate refrigeration service records.
The consent decree was filed with the US District Court for the Southern District of Ohio and is subject to a 30-day public comment period.
If entered by the court, the settlement requires Kroger to retrofit or replace 600 large commercial refrigeration systems at its stores. It must also implement a refrigerant management system to help prevent and repair coolant leaks and keep its corporate-wide average leak rate to no more than 9.5% per year.
