Shareholder Vote

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549   FORM 8-K   CURRENT REPORT Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of The Securities Exchange Act of 1934   Date of Report:  June 25, 2020 (Date of earliest event reported)       The Kroger Co. (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)   Ohio   No. 1-303   31-0345740 (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)   (Commission File Number)   (IRS Employer Identification No.)   1014 Vine Street Cincinnati , OH 45202 (Address of principal executive offices, including zip code)   Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: ( 513 ) 762-4000   Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:   ¨    Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)   ¨    Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)   ¨    Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))   ¨    Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))   Title of each class   Trading Symbol(s)   Name of each exchange on which registered Common Stock $1.00 par value per share   KR   New York Stock Exchange   Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).   Emerging growth company ¨   If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ¨             Item 5.07 Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders.   On June 25, 2020, the Company held its 2020 Annual Meeting of Shareholders (the “Annual Meeting”). At the close of business on April 27, 2020, the record date for determination of shareholders entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting, there were 786,187,556 common shares of the Company issued and outstanding. At the Annual Meeting, the shareholders elected ten directors to serve until the annual meeting in 2021, or until their successors have been elected and qualified; approved the Company’s executive compensation on an advisory basis; ratified the selection of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP as the Company’s independent auditor for fiscal year 2020; rejected a shareholder proposal to issue a report assessing the environmental impacts of continuing to use unrecyclable brand packaging; and rejected a shareholder proposal to issue a report on human rights diligence process in the supply chain.   The final results are as follows:   Director Election Proposal     For       Against       Abstain     Broker Non-Votes   Nora A. Aufreiter     597,258,116       6,985,020       2,576,395       78,890,268   Anne Gates     593,396,264       10,896,245       2,527,022       78,890,268   Karen M. Hoguet     597,432,659       6,679,559       2,707,313       78,890,268   Susan J. Kropf     556,330,094       47,896,268       2,593,169       78,890,268   W. Rodney McMullen     539,702,734       64,375,641       2,741,156       78,890,268   Clyde R. Moore     546,759,993       57,307,920       2,751,618       78,890,268   Ronald L. Sargent     557,508,342       47,168,578       2,142,611       78,890,268   Bobby S. Shackouls     512,338,665       92,248,365       2,232,501       78,890,268   Mark S. Sutton     597,447,624       6,765,031       2,606,876       78,890,268   Ashok Vemuri     595,775,979       7,905,580       3,137,972       78,890,268      Other Proposals     For       Against       Abstain     Broker Non-Votes   Advisory vote approving executive compensation     544,019,247       59,578,697       3,221,587       78,890,268   Ratification of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP as independent auditor for fiscal year 2020     640,772,821       43,097,231       1,839,747       78,890,268   Shareholder proposal to issue a report assessing the environmental impacts of using unrecyclable packaging     231,412,348       371,362,279       4,044,904       78,890,268   Shareholder proposal to issue a report on human rights in operations and supply chain     269,317,656       333,139,848       4,362,027       78,890,268             SIGNATURE   Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.      THE KROGER CO.             June 26, 2020 By:   /s/ Christine S. Wheatley     Christine S. Wheatley     Group Vice President, Secretary and General Counsel