Kroger settles for $100M for poor refrigerant repairs

Kroger has agreed to a $100 million settlement with the Department of Justice to resolve alleged Clean Air Act violations for failing to promptly repair refrigerant leaks between 2014 and 2023. The grocer will invest in upgrading its refrigeration systems to reduce coolant leaks and improve compliance with emissions rules, in addition to paying a $2.5 million penalty. This settlement comes as the National Grocers Association has called for revisions to the EPA’s hydrofluorocarbon management rule, arguing that current leak-rate thresholds are impractical for the industry.