Kroger

Major US grocers Walmart, Aldi and Kroger are reportedly adopting a move pioneered by Costco, according to TheStreet. The report did not specify the exact policy, but the framing suggests the retailers are copying a Costco strategy seen as successful in the grocery sector. Shoppers and retail watchers are weighing what the shift could mean for prices and store practices.

Kroger has discontinued one of its gas perk programs just as US pump prices reached a record high for the month of September. The grocery chain's fuel savings scheme had let shoppers redeem points for discounts at the pump. The timing of the withdrawal has drawn attention, with customers facing some of the highest September fuel costs on record now losing a program that cushioned those expenses.

Kroger is trialing a significant change to its store opening hours for customers. The grocery chain is among the largest supermarket operators in the United States, so any adjustment to when stores open and close could affect millions of shoppers' routines. Details of which regions are affected and whether the change could roll out nationwide were not provided.

Kroger is going through a leadership change in its Kroger Health division, and financial commentary is asking whether the grocery chain's stock is undervalued as a result. Investors and analysts are weighing how the shake-up in the health business might affect the company's growth prospects and whether the market is pricing Kroger shares too cheaply amid the transition.