content: <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><edgarSubmission xmlns="http://www.sec.gov/edgar/ownership" xmlns:com="http://www.sec.gov/edgar/common">
    <headerData>
      <submissionType>144</submissionType>
      <filerInfo>
        <filer>
          <filerCredentials>
            <cik>0001190767</cik>
            <ccc>XXXXXXXX</ccc>
          </filerCredentials>
        </filer>
        <liveTestFlag>LIVE</liveTestFlag>
  
  
  
      </filerInfo>
    </headerData>
    <formData>
      <issuerInfo>
        <issuerCik>0000056873</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>KROGER CO</issuerName>
        <secFileNumber>001-00303</secFileNumber>
        <issuerAddress>
          <com:street1>1014 VINE ST</com:street1>
          <com:city>CINCINNATI</com:city>
          <com:stateOrCountry>OH</com:stateOrCountry>
          <com:zipCode>45201</com:zipCode>
        </issuerAddress>
        <issuerContactPhone>5137624437</issuerContactPhone>
        <nameOfPersonForWhoseAccountTheSecuritiesAreToBeSold>MOORE CLYDE R</nameOfPersonForWhoseAccountTheSecuritiesAreToBeSold>
        <relationshipsToIssuer>
          <relationshipToIssuer>Director</relationshipToIssuer>
        </relationshipsToIssuer>
      </issuerInfo>
      <securitiesInformation>
        <securitiesClassTitle>Common</securitiesClassTitle>
        <brokerOrMarketmakerDetails>
          <name>Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC</name>
          <address>
            <com:street1>900 Salem Street</com:street1>
            <com:city>Smithfield</com:city>
            <com:stateOrCountry>RI</com:stateOrCountry>
            <com:zipCode>02917</com:zipCode>
          </address>
        </brokerOrMarketmakerDetails>
        <noOfUnitsSold>26814</noOfUnitsSold>
        <aggregateMarketValue>1890405.80</aggregateMarketValue>
        <noOfUnitsOutstanding>661155838</noOfUnitsOutstanding>
        <approxSaleDate>07/11/2025</approxSaleDate>
        <securitiesExchangeName>NYSE</securitiesExchangeName>
      </securitiesInformation>
      <securitiesToBeSold>
        <securitiesClassTitle>Common</securitiesClassTitle>
        <acquiredDate>07/15/2015</acquiredDate>
        <natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>Restricted Stock Vesting</natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>
        <nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>Issuer</nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>
        <isGiftTransaction>N</isGiftTransaction>
        <amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>4320</amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>
        <paymentDate>07/15/2015</paymentDate>
        <natureOfPayment>Compensation</natureOfPayment>
      </securitiesToBeSold>
      <securitiesToBeSold>
        <securitiesClassTitle>Common</securitiesClassTitle>
        <acquiredDate>07/13/2016</acquiredDate>
        <natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>Restricted Stock Vesting</natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>
        <nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>Issuer</nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>
        <isGiftTransaction>N</isGiftTransaction>
        <amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>4413</amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>
        <paymentDate>07/13/2016</paymentDate>
        <natureOfPayment>Compensation</natureOfPayment>
      </securitiesToBeSold>
      <securitiesToBeSold>
        <securitiesClassTitle>Common</securitiesClassTitle>
        <acquiredDate>07/15/2020</acquiredDate>
        <natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>Restricted Stock Vesting</natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>
        <nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>Issuer</nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>
        <isGiftTransaction>N</isGiftTransaction>
        <amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>5111</amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>
        <paymentDate>07/15/2020</paymentDate>
        <natureOfPayment>Compensation</natureOfPayment>
      </securitiesToBeSold>
      <securitiesToBeSold>
        <securitiesClassTitle>Common</securitiesClassTitle>
        <acquiredDate>07/14/2021</acquiredDate>
        <natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>Restricted Stock Vesting</natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>
        <nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>Issuer</nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>
        <isGiftTransaction>N</isGiftTransaction>
        <amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>4859</amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>
        <paymentDate>07/14/2021</paymentDate>
        <natureOfPayment>Compensation</natureOfPayment>
      </securitiesToBeSold>
      <securitiesToBeSold>
        <securitiesClassTitle>Common</securitiesClassTitle>
        <acquiredDate>07/13/2022</acquiredDate>
        <natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>Restricted Stock Vesting</natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>
        <nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>Issuer</nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>
        <isGiftTransaction>N</isGiftTransaction>
        <amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>3887</amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>
        <paymentDate>07/13/2022</paymentDate>
        <natureOfPayment>Compensation</natureOfPayment>
      </securitiesToBeSold>
      <securitiesToBeSold>
        <securitiesClassTitle>Common</securitiesClassTitle>
        <acquiredDate>07/13/2023</acquiredDate>
        <natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>Restricted Stock Vesting</natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>
        <nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>Issuer</nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>
        <isGiftTransaction>N</isGiftTransaction>
        <amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>4224</amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>
        <paymentDate>07/13/2023</paymentDate>
        <natureOfPayment>Compensation</natureOfPayment>
      </securitiesToBeSold>
      <nothingToReportFlagOnSecuritiesSoldInPast3Months>Y</nothingToReportFlagOnSecuritiesSoldInPast3Months>
      <remarks>Today's sale occurred in the account of the The Moore Family Rev Liv Tr Ag trust account of which Clyde Moore is a trustee.</remarks>
      <noticeSignature>
        <noticeDate>07/11/2025</noticeDate>
        <signature>/s/ Gary Redman, as a duly authorized representative of Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC, as attorney-in-fact for Clyde Moore</signature>
      </noticeSignature>
    </formData>
  </edgarSubmission>
metadata_documents: [{"type": "144", "sequence": "1", "filename": "primary_doc.xml", "secsgml_size_bytes": 5647}]
text: 144
  0001190767
  XXXXXXXX
  LIVE
  0000056873
  KROGER CO
  001-00303
  1014 VINE ST
  CINCINNATI
  OH
  45201
  5137624437
  MOORE CLYDE R
  Director
  Common
  Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC
  900 Salem Street
  Smithfield
  RI
  02917
  26814
  1890405.80
  661155838
  07/11/2025
  NYSE
  Common
  07/15/2015
  Restricted Stock Vesting
  Issuer
  N
  4320
  07/15/2015
  Compensation
  Common
  07/13/2016
  Restricted Stock Vesting
  Issuer
  N
  4413
  07/13/2016
  Compensation
  Common
  07/15/2020
  Restricted Stock Vesting
  Issuer
  N
  5111
  07/15/2020
  Compensation
  Common
  07/14/2021
  Restricted Stock Vesting
  Issuer
  N
  4859
  07/14/2021
  Compensation
  Common
  07/13/2022
  Restricted Stock Vesting
  Issuer
  N
  3887
  07/13/2022
  Compensation
  Common
  07/13/2023
  Restricted Stock Vesting
  Issuer
  N
  4224
  07/13/2023
  Compensation
  Y
  Today's sale occurred in the account of the The Moore Family Rev Liv Tr Ag trust account of which Clyde Moore is a trustee.
  07/11/2025
  /s/ Gary Redman, as a duly authorized representative of Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC, as attorney-in-fact for Clyde Moore