Kroger — Local services in Canton Township

Like many commuters, I shop at the nearest Kroger store while driving towards home or any reason.

On January 10, 2025, I went to the Kroger store in Northville, MI because of Costco nearby off Haggerty Road. I purchased several items, including Kroger brand mushrooms and tomatoes.

On January 27, 2025, I was in the area of Kroger 1905 North Canton Center Road, Canton, MI. From the purchase on January 10th, the Kroger brand mushrooms and tomatoes spoiled. Since I'm in the Canton area, let me return the items to Canton Kroger store.

The issue:

Per Carrie, assistant, and Mike, store manager, stated that without a physical paper receipt, I must return the items to the Northville store. Initially Mike agreed that the return can be made with either a paper receipt or digital receipt (Kroger app). However, Carrie stated she read an corporate that the digital receipt from Kroger app was not acceptable. Carrie stated she could not locate the email to confirm; however, she still denied the spoiled items (with digital receipt).

Carrie's statement is a contradiction to Kroger's return policy on its page (Return Policy - How to Return Items - Kroger https://search.app/6NhEaFKynRnrUzBTA):

Effective July 13, 2020

ALL KROGER Co. Family of Stores can accept RETURNS of ITEMS PURCHASED at ANY KROGER Company family of stores location within a 30-day window of purchase.

Returns with receipt:

There are two receipt options: PAPER receipt or DIGITAL receipt

A couple months ago, I had this same situation at the same Canton store with Jeannine. I contacted the Kroger district office to complain. Demetrius, a store representative, resolved the issue and confirmed the customer can return any item to any Kroger store without returning to the original store of purchase.

I asked Mike why must a customer return to the original store of purchase. He stated because of inventory count. In addition, he stated "I cannot confirm if the produce was bad from another store".

I asked Mike if I purchased a lemon at a Kroger store 100 miles away, it spoiled, then I have to drive 100 miles to return it. He shrugged his shoulders with a smirked smile, said "yes".

I will admit that I became very agitated at this point of the conversation.

I contacted Kroger customer service, and filed a complaint (pending review).

This Canton store is the only Kroger store that gives me a difficult issue with a return. My family buys a lot of items from Kroger. Almost 60% from Krogers, and other (bulk) items from Costco.

If I didn't have a receipt, Kroger policy states "Returns without a receipt under $10, cash provided or over $10, store credit (below). However, Carrie and Mike did not follow the Kroger store policy and provided a horrible customer service experience.

"Over $10.00 will receive a Kroger Co. Family of Stores Merchandise Gift Card. The return slip must be signed by all customers with returns over $10.00 Under $10.00 the customer will receive cash for...

This specific location was our top choice when targeting Kroger for shopping, due to it cleanliness, product range, luminosity, large space, etc. We even had great experience in the past at the checkout - with lovely, friendly employees to deal with. This, until a couple of years ago, when the attitude of Kroger employees started changing, drastically. First, we noticed it at the Deli section, with people slamming the lunchmeat on the scale, getting impatient when asking for the 2nd item. It literary became a daredevil to ask for 3 – 4 items. We sorted this out, as we no longer buy the lunchmeat from Kroger. And yet, today, we had another experience with a Kroger employee that is by far the worst we experienced, so far; this time at the checkout. As we know, Kroger has decreased the number of checkouts to extreme minimal, so much so, that most of the time we have no other option but using the self-checkout, regardless the number of items we have in the cart and regardless the number of people waiting at the self-checkout. (This is another thing, Kroger may need to improve and urgently, in my opinion.) Either way, we sorted out even this inconvenience (or we thought we did) by opting to wait at the self-checkout station that is equipped with conveyor, when we have a full cart. Today, we were waiting in line at the conveyor, when the Kroger employee in charge with supervising the self-checkout stations has ordered us (yes, you read correctly!), has ordered us to go to another self-checkout station. She even used an annoyed, angry, strident voice with - ‘Mam, over here!’, because, clearly, I didn’t comply, given her attitude. Luckily, my husband – a more patient, blessed personality – followed her orders. I personally would have gone to ask for the manager, instead. I wouldn’t have mind if the employee would come to talk to us, instead of ordering us around. (Please note, this is the first time we have ever experienced such nonsensical authority usage in any shopping center; ever.) She continued with the same annoyed attitude when she needed to come over once more to scan our bottle return slips. (Lucky, she has chosen of not addressing any more words to us.) It is not clear why would Kroger consider acceptable for its employees to behave like commando officers. Is this the new standard we should expect from now on? I truly hope not. Let’s make it clear – the more such experiences we have these days at Kroger, the more the motivation to go across the road and buy the same products from Meijer, instead. With the exceptions of a couple of products, there is nothing really that keeps us going back to shop at Kroger; and certainly not its employees’ behavior. For now, for sure we will avoid having to deal with the same Kroger employee again. This...

03/27/2023

I have shopped at Kroger for 60 years and I have noticed that Walmart has the same products for less money - even with Kroger coupons taken off. Recently I purchased the same brand of jelly beans for $1.30 at Walmart and the Kroger the price was $5.36. This is just one example - I have noticed many other products where the same brand costs significantly less at Walmart than at Kroger.

11/23/2021 --

I have lived in Canton, MI for 21 years and have always shopped at Kroger for groceries. I shop at both stores in Canton (Michigan Ave & Ford Rd).

Two weeks ago I was shopping at the Ford Road store and at the checkout one of the cashiers - Mary Jo (who I know and lives in our neighborhood) saw me at the checkout line next to hers. She yelled out an insulting comment about the Kroger Brand cat food I was purchasing - she said - "Pam, why are you buying that cheap, no good cat food? I thought you loved your cats". I was extremely embarrassed and told her to shut up and mind her own business. I was so upset I did not go back to the Michigan Ave store until today.

Today (11/23/21 approx. 2:00 PM) I was shopping in the produce dept. to buy some mixed nuts when Mary Jo saw me and verbally attacked me. I told her five times to go away and leave me alone but she kept putting me down and calling me crazy in front of other customers. One of the mangers (an African American woman) saw this said she would have a talk with Mary Jo.

When I was at the checkout lane, Mary Jo came by to her cash register (next to the one I was using) and purposely bumped me aside with her hips. I view this as a threat. I waited to talk to the store manager (Bob) and told him what happened. He acted totally unconcerned and gave the impression that he wasn't going to do anything. He told me to be quiet and stop talking so loud. I apologized and explained that I am deaf (I wear a cochlear implant) and cannot hear my own voice.

I was upset and disappointed with the manager & called him a jerk, which prompted him to tell me to get out and never come back to that store. I did not really mean to call him a name and apologized, which he accepted and said I was welcome to come back.

I have many friends at both stores in Canton, MI - I am well known and respected. I have often purchased food for people in line with me who came up short of cash or credit. I was even featured on the local Detroit Fox News channel for this.

I would like to continue shopping at Kroger and not have Mary Jo EVER speak to me or...