Kroger ends newspaper ads for weekly grocery specials, shifts focus to online

(CNN)- Kroger, the largest grocery chain in the United States, has announced that it will no longer advertise its weekly grocery specials in newspapers. Instead, the ads for Kroger stores and subsidiaries such as Ralphs, Fred Meyer, and King Soopers, will now be available online, with printed copies available in stores.

The decision to shift the focus to digital advertising was due to declining newspaper circulation and the trend of many newspapers doing away with print editions. The move also comes amid a significant rise in grocery prices and could make things harder for those who plan their shopping list around weekly newspaper ads, particularly older and low-income shoppers who may not have access to the internet or prefer print.

The move also hurts newspapers that rely on advertisements for dwindling revenue.

The shift to online advertising for Kroger’s weekly specials is part of a larger trend in the retail industry. Many companies are moving away from traditional print advertising and investing more in digital marketing as more consumers turn to online shopping.