Kroger Falls as Competition for Cautious Consumers Heats Up

Kroger Co. lowered the top end of its full-year sales forecast, sounding a note of caution that competition is intensifying among food sellers for increasingly discerning consumers.

The nation’s largest supermarket operator said in a statement that it now expects comparable sales to grow between 2.8% to 3%, minus fuel, versus the previous guidance of a 2.7% to 3.4% increase.