<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001104659-13-052266.txt : 20130815
<SEC-HEADER>0001104659-13-052266.hdr.sgml : 20130815
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20130628150050
<PRIVATE-TO-PUBLIC>
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001104659-13-052266
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	CORRESP
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		2
FILED AS OF DATE:		20130628

FILER:

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			KROGER CO
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000056873
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	RETAIL-GROCERY STORES [5411]
		IRS NUMBER:				310345740
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			OH
		FISCAL YEAR END:			0203

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		CORRESP

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		1014 VINE ST
		CITY:			CINCINNATI
		STATE:			OH
		ZIP:			45201
		BUSINESS PHONE:		5137624000
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>CORRESP
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>filename1.htm
<TEXT>


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<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">THE KROGER CO.</font></b></p>    </td>
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<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><b><font size="2" face="Symbol" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&#183;</font></b></p>    </td>
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<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">LAW DEPARTMENT</font></b></p>    </td>
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<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><b><font size="2" face="Symbol" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&#183;</font></b></p>    </td>
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<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">1014 VINE STREET</font></b></p>    </td>
<td width="3%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:3.96%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><b><font size="2" face="Symbol" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&#183;</font></b></p>    </td>
<td width="29%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:29.04%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">CINCINNATI, OHIO 45202-1100</font></b></p>    </td>   </tr>  </table>
<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
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<td width="40%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:40.0%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:8.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>
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<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:8.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>   </tr>
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<td width="30%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:30.0%;">
<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:8.0pt;font-weight:bold;">PAUL W.   HELDMAN</font></b></p>    </td>
<td width="40%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:40.0%;">
<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:8.0pt;font-weight:bold;">TELEFAX   NUMBER</font></b></p>    </td>
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<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:8.0pt;font-weight:bold;">PATRICIA T. ASH</font></b></p>    </td>   </tr>
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<td width="30%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:30.0%;">
<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:8.0pt;font-weight:bold;">EXECUTIVE   VICE PRESIDENT,</font></b></p>    </td>
<td width="40%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:40.0%;">
<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:8.0pt;font-weight:bold;">513-698-1850</font></b></p>    </td>
<td width="30%" colspan="2" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:30.0%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:8.0pt;font-weight:bold;">PAUL W. PARMELE</font></b></p>    </td>   </tr>
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<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:8.0pt;font-weight:bold;">SECRETARY   AND</font></b></p>    </td>
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<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>    </td>
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<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:8.0pt;font-weight:bold;">STEPHANIE GEPHARDT</font></b></p>    </td>   </tr>
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<td width="30%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:30.0%;">
<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:8.0pt;font-weight:bold;">GENERAL   COUNSEL</font></b></p>    </td>
<td width="40%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:40.0%;">
<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:8.0pt;font-weight:bold;">WRITER&#146;S DIRECT DIAL NUMBER</font></b></p>    </td>
<td width="30%" colspan="2" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:30.0%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:8.0pt;font-weight:bold;">JENNIFER K. GOTHARD</font></b></p>    </td>   </tr>
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<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>    </td>
<td width="40%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:40.0%;">
<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:8.0pt;font-weight:bold;">513-762-1482</font></b></p>    </td>
<td width="30%" colspan="2" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:30.0%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:8.0pt;font-weight:bold;">RICK J. LANDRUM</font></b></p>    </td>   </tr>
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<td width="30%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:30.0%;">
<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:8.0pt;font-weight:bold;">BRUCE M.   GACK</font></b></p>    </td>
<td width="40%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:40.0%;">
<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>
<td width="30%" colspan="2" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:30.0%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:8.0pt;font-weight:bold;">STACEY HEISER</font></b></p>    </td>   </tr>
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<td width="30%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:30.0%;">
<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:8.0pt;font-weight:bold;">VICE   PRESIDENT AND</font></b></p>    </td>
<td width="40%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:40.0%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>
<td width="30%" colspan="2" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:30.0%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:8.0pt;font-weight:bold;">KELLY L. REBLIN</font></b></p>    </td>   </tr>
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<td width="30%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:30.0%;">
<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:8.0pt;font-weight:bold;">ASSISTANT   GENERAL COUNSEL</font></b></p>    </td>
<td width="40%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:40.0%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>
<td width="30%" colspan="2" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:30.0%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:8.0pt;font-weight:bold;">JEFF VANWAY</font></b></p>    </td>   </tr>
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<td width="30%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:30.0%;">
<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>    </td>
<td width="40%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:40.0%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>
<td width="30%" colspan="2" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:30.0%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:8.0pt;font-weight:bold;">ERICA S. PONTIUS</font></b></p>    </td>   </tr>
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<td width="30%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:30.0%;">
<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:8.0pt;font-weight:bold;">MARTHA   CUTRIGHT SARRA</font></b></p>    </td>
<td width="40%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:40.0%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>
<td width="30%" colspan="2" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:30.0%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:8.0pt;font-weight:bold;">HILARY VOLLMER</font></b></p>    </td>   </tr>
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<td width="30%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:30.0%;">
<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:8.0pt;font-weight:bold;">VICE   PRESIDENT AND</font></b></p>    </td>
<td width="40%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:40.0%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>
<td width="30%" colspan="2" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:30.0%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:8.0pt;font-weight:bold;">BEAU C. SEFTON</font></b></p>    </td>   </tr>
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<td width="30%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:30.0%;">
<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:8.0pt;font-weight:bold;">CHIEF   ETHICS AND</font></b></p>    </td>
<td width="40%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:40.0%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>
<td width="30%" colspan="2" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:30.0%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:8.0pt;font-weight:bold;">FRANCES   A. TUCKER</font></b></p>    </td>   </tr>
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<td width="30%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:30.0%;">
<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:8.0pt;font-weight:bold;">COMPLIANCE   OFFICER</font></b></p>    </td>
<td width="40%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:40.0%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>
<td width="30%" colspan="2" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:30.0%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:8.0pt;font-weight:bold;">NATHAN   H. BROWN</font></b></p>    </td>   </tr>
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<td width="30%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:30.0%;">
<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>    </td>
<td width="40%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:40.0%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>
<td width="30%" colspan="2" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:30.0%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:8.0pt;font-weight:bold;">BRYN T. LORENTZ</font></b></p>    </td>   </tr>
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<td width="30%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:30.0%;">
<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:8.0pt;font-weight:bold;">CHRISTINE   S. WHEATLEY</font></b></p>    </td>
<td width="40%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:40.0%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>
<td width="30%" colspan="2" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:30.0%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:8.0pt;font-weight:bold;">MICHAEL MAJBA</font></b></p>    </td>   </tr>
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<td width="30%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:30.0%;">
<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:8.0pt;font-weight:bold;">VICE   PRESIDENT AND</font></b></p>    </td>
<td width="40%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:40.0%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>
<td width="30%" colspan="2" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:30.0%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:8.0pt;font-weight:bold;">DAVID R. OWENS</font></b></p>    </td>   </tr>
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<td width="30%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:30.0%;">
<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:8.0pt;font-weight:bold;">SENIOR   COUNSEL</font></b></p>    </td>
<td width="40%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:40.0%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>
<td width="30%" colspan="2" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:30.0%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:8.0pt;font-weight:bold;">SARA   H. SUDKAMP</font></b></p>    </td>   </tr>
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<td width="30%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:30.0%;">
<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:8.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>    </td>
<td width="40%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:40.0%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:8.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>
<td width="17%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:17.78%;">    <div align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:8.0pt;font-weight:bold;">
<hr size="1" width="25%" noshade color="black" align="center">    </font></b></div>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"></p>    </td>
<td width="12%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:12.22%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:8.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>    </td>   </tr>
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<td width="30%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:30.0%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>
<td width="40%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:40.0%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>
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<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:8.0pt;font-weight:bold;">J. PHILLIPS   PUGH,&nbsp;INVESTIGATOR</font></b></p>    </td>   </tr>
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<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>
<td width="40%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:40.0%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>
<td width="30%" colspan="2" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:30.0%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:8.0pt;font-weight:bold;">DOROTHY D. ROBERTS, PARALEGAL</font></b></p>    </td>   </tr>
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<td width="30%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:30.0%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>
<td width="40%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:40.0%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>
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<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:8.0pt;font-weight:bold;">ERIK B. LUTSON, PARALEGAL</font></b></p>    </td>   </tr>
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<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>
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<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:8.0pt;font-weight:bold;">MARGARET E. WAGNER, PARALEGAL</font></b></p>    </td>   </tr>
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<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:8.0pt;font-weight:bold;">VENESSA C. GRIBBLE, PARALEGAL</font></b></p>    </td>   </tr>
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<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:8.0pt;font-weight:bold;">CYNTHIA A. LUKEN, PARALEGAL</font></b></p>    </td>   </tr>
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<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:8.0pt;font-weight:bold;">STEPHANIE S. MORRIS, PARALEGAL</font></b></p>    </td>   </tr>
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<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:8.0pt;font-weight:bold;">RENEE R. CIPRIANI, PARALEGAL</font></b></p>    </td>   </tr>  </table>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt 2.5in;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">June&nbsp;28, 2013</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt 2.5in;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Mara L. Ransom</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Assistant Director</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Division of Corporation Finance</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">100 F Street, N.E.</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Washington, DC&#160; 20549</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">RE:</font><font size="1" style="font-size:3.0pt;">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; </font><font size="2" style="font-size:10.0pt;">The Kroger Co.</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-indent:1.0in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Form&nbsp;10-K for the Fiscal Year Ended February&nbsp;2, 2013</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Filed April&nbsp;2, 2013</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-indent:1.0in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Definitive Proxy Statement on Schedule 14A</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Filed May&nbsp;14, 2013</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-indent:1.0in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">File No.&nbsp;001-00303</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Dear Ms.&nbsp;Ransom:</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">We submit this letter in response to the comment from the staff of the Division of Corporation Finance of the SEC, received by letter dated June&nbsp;20, 2013, pertaining to the referenced Form&nbsp;10-K and definitive proxy statement.&#160; The staff&#146;s comment is reproduced below, followed by our response.</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
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<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><u><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Definitive Proxy Statement filed on Schedule 14A</font></u></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><u><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Performance &#151;Based Annual Cash Bonus, page&nbsp;22</font></u></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;text-indent:-22.5pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">1.</font><font size="1" style="font-size:3.0pt;">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; </font><font size="2" style="font-size:10.0pt;">We note that you have omitted from the tables on pages&nbsp;23 and 26 your Strategic Plan targets and the actual results &#147;as they are competitively sensitive.&#148; We note a similar omission for your Associate Engagement component of your long-term performance based plan. Please disclose the specific targets and the actual results related to the Strategic Plan and Associate Engagement or provide us with your analysis as to why it is appropriate to omit this information pursuant to Instruction 4 to Item 402(b)&nbsp;of Regulation S-K. If disclosure of this information would cause competitive harm, please discuss how difficult it will be for the executive or how likely it will be for the registrant to achieve the various targets. For additional guidance, please see Question 118.04 of our Compliance and Disclosure Interpretation on Regulation S-K available on our website at www.sec.gov.</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;text-indent:-22.5pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><u><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Kroger Response</font></u></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Kroger&#146;s strategic plan is sometimes referred to as its Customer 1</font><font size="1" style="font-size:6.5pt;position:relative;top:-3.0pt;">st</font><font size="2" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&#160;strategy, and its associate engagement measures are part of a business strategy often referred to as Associate 1</font><font size="1" style="font-size:6.5pt;position:relative;top:-3.0pt;">st</font><font size="2" style="font-size:10.0pt;">.&#160; Kroger refers the staff to its letter dated December&nbsp;11, 2008, in response to the staff&#146;s comment letter dated October&nbsp;16, 2008 (the &#147;2008 Letter&#148;), and its letter dated July&nbsp;15, 2010, in response to the staff&#146;s comment letter dated June&nbsp;21, 2010 (the &#147;2010 Letter&#148;), both pertaining to the same subject matter.&#160; Kroger&#146;s response to the 2010 Letter referred the staff to its earlier response to the 2008 Letter.&#160; Kroger sought confidential treatment for its response to the 2008 Letter, and received from the staff a closure letter dated January&nbsp;8, 2009, for the 2008 Letter.&#160; Kroger received from the staff a closure letter dated August&nbsp;4, 2010 for the 2010 Letter.&#160; Continued confidential treatment of these performance metrics and the manner in which a payout is calculated is warranted as they remain confidential commercial and financial information that, if disclosed, could be used by competitors in a manner that would cause substantial competitive harm to Kroger.</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">As we have discussed in our CD&amp;A, at page&nbsp;26, achievement of the components of the plans becomes exceedingly more difficult each year due to the compounded nature of required improvement.&#160; For example, for its long-term performance based plan for which payout was earned for the period of 2010-2012, Kroger saw no improvement in its strategic plan, resulting in no payout for that metric, and Kroger saw 3 units of improvement in its associate engagement, resulting in a payout of 6% for that metric.</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">We acknowledge that:</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Symbol" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&#183;</font><font size="2" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&#160; the company is responsible for the adequacy and accuracy of the disclosure in the filing;</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<div style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:8.0pt;font-weight:bold;">
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<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Symbol" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&#183;</font><font size="2" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&#160; staff comments or changes to disclosure in response to staff comments do not foreclose the&#160;&#160; Commission from taking any action with respect to the filings; and</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Symbol" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&#183;</font><font size="2" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&#160; the company may not assert staff comments as a defense in any proceeding initiated by the Commission or any person under the federal securities laws of the United States.</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">If you have any questions or require any additional information regarding this matter, please contact me at 513-762-1482.</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
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<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Sincerely,</font></p>    </td>   </tr>
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<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>
<td width="50%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:50.0%;">
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>   </tr>
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<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>
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<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>   </tr>
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<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">/s/ Bruce M. Gack</font></p>    </td>   </tr>
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<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>    </td>
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<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Bruce M. Gack</font></p>    </td>   </tr>  </table>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt 2.5in;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt 2.5in;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">cc:</font><font size="1" style="font-size:3.0pt;">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; </font><font size="2" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Scott Anderegg, Staff Attorney</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Catherine Brown, Staff Attorney</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">D. Dillon</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">D. Hackett</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">P. Heldman</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">R. McMullen</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">M. Schlotman</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">C. Wheatley</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
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`
end
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
