Attorney General Josh Stein, together with 30 bipartisan Attorneys General, has reached a settlement of $1.37 billion with Kroger regarding the involvement of the grocery chain’s pharmacies in the opioid crisis. As part of the agreement, North Carolina will receive $40 million for opioid abatement. The payments are anticipated to start in the early months of next year. Attorney General Stein, along with the Attorneys General of California, Colorado, Illinois, Oregon, Tennessee, and Virginia, spearheaded the negotiations leading to this settlement.
“Working to hold accountable the companies that created and fueled the opioid crisis in North Carolina has been a top priority,” said Attorney General Josh Stein. “And we are winning. These funds will help people stay alive, get treatment, and begin recovery. We are also forcing these companies to change their behavior so more people don’t get addicted to these deadly drugs.”
Kroger has also agreed to take additional measures to combat the opioid crisis. Apart from the financial payments, the company will implement injunctive relief measures that will require its pharmacies to actively monitor, report, and share data related to suspicious activity involving opioid prescriptions.
Kroger is a well-known supermarket chain that operates under its own name and through various subsidiaries. One of its subsidiaries, Harris Teeter, operates in North Carolina. In addition to that, Kroger also owns and operates a wide range of stores across the country. Some of these stores include Dillons, Fred Meyer, Smith’s Food and Drug, Ralphs, King Soopers, Fry’s, QFC, City Market, Jay C, Pay Less, Baker’s, Gerbes, Pick ‘n Save, Metro Market, and Mariano’s.
Attorney General Stein has successfully obtained over $1.4 billion in opioid settlement funds for North Carolina. A significant portion of this amount, $1.2 billion, will be allocated to local governments to combat the opioid overdose crisis. To ensure transparency and accountability, the Community Opioid Resources Engine (CORE-NC) has been established. Through this platform, individuals can track the utilization of opioid settlement funds by each local government. This includes information on payment schedules, spending plans, past expenditures, annual narratives, and local contacts.
