6/17/2023 Louisville – A former Kroger store clerk has filed a lawsuit against the grocery chain for firing him over a pricing error that cost the company $1.08. The clerk, who wishes to remain anonymous, claims that he was unfairly terminated for mispricing two clearance carpet cleaning items that were sold to a popular YouTuber.

“I did nothing wrong. I was just trying to help customers save money and clear some space on the shelves. It’s not like I stole anything or caused any harm. The difference between the two prices is only 54 cents. That’s less than a pack of gum. How can they fire me over that?” the clerk said.

The YouTuber, who goes by the name of KrogerRun (KrogerRun.com), posted a video on April 20th showing his latest haul of bargains from Kroger. The video starts with a disclaimer about a “lurker” in the video. She is seen at the beginning wearing a camouflage jacket and a white “sock” hat as the YouTuber introduces us to the clearance bins. KrogerRun proceeds to proudly display a surprise discovery of two cans of carpet cleaner at $1.35 each in the same bin with the same product marked at a higher clearance price of $1.89. “I would have paid $1.89 for it, and here it is for $1.35” he states. Moving along to the next bins “the lurker” reappears in the background at 2:11 and 2:23 of the video rummaging through the same carpet cleaning bin. The video concludes with several more purchases from the clearance section.

The seemingly innocent video turned viral because of “the lurker”. It’s been shared and viewed millions of times with thousands of comments since April.

That’s when problems started for the clerk as the video caught the attention of Kroger management. They identified the clerk based on the day and timing of the video and fired him for violating the company’s zero tolerance pricing policy.

Kroger issued a statement reading in part, “We take our pricing integrity very seriously and we expect our associates to do the same. We have a responsibility to our customers and shareholders to ensure that our prices are accurate and fair. Any deviation from this standard is unacceptable and will result in appropriate disciplinary action.”

The YouTube video sparked hilarious comments on social media. Some users also commented on the lurker in the background, making jokes about her appearance and behavior.

• “@KrogerRun Who is that lady in the camo jacket and sock hat? She looks like she just came out of the woods. Did she think she was invisible or something? #LurkerAlert #CamoFail” one user wrote.
• “@KrogerRun you are awesome! I hope you enjoy your carpet cleaner and your $1.08 savings! #JusticeForTheClerk”
• “@Kroger you should be ashamed of yourselves! How can you fire someone over such a trivial mistake? #BoycottKroger”
• “@CamouflageLurker who are you and what are you doing? You are hilarious! #SockHatForTheWin”
• “@KrogerRun you should collab with @CamouflageLurker! She is your secret admirer! #BestCollabEver”
• “@KrogerRun I think I know that lady. She’s always hanging around the store looking for deals. She once tried to buy a pack of hot dogs with a coupon that expired in 1997. #LurkerLegend #CouponKing” another user wrote.

The lawsuit cites Kroger for wrongful termination, emotional distress, and defamation. The clerk’s lawsuit seeks the exact same $1.08 in damages, plus interest, legal fees, and an apology from Kroger. He also wants his job back and a promotion to manager. “I love working at Kroger. It’s my passion. I know every product and every price by heart. I’m the best clerk they ever had. They should be grateful for me, not fire me over a silly mistake.” he said.

Meanwhile, the YouTuber has gained more fame and fortune from his viral video. He has signed a deal with Netflix to produce a series called “KrogerRun: The Adventures of the Lurker”. He has also launched his own line of carpet cleaners and camouflage jackets. He said he feels sorry for the clerk, but he doesn’t regret making the video. “It was just a lucky find. I didn’t know it would cause such a big fuss. I was just showing people how to save money at Kroger. That’s what I do.” he said.

BY BS

The Journalist BS