Kroger admits it’s discontinued second hugely popular drink sparking fury among shoppers who say they’ll lose customers
KROGER has admitted it has discontinued a hugely popular drink, sparking fury among customers.
The retailer revealed it has axed the flavored sparkling water product Bubly Bounce – months after it had shelved Fizz & Co Seltzers.
One disgruntled shopper claimed that their Kroger store in Nevada had not supplied the drink for three months.
The customer said that they couldn’t buy the product from rivals such as Target and Albertsons.
They claimed that “cutting flavors” isn’t a great strategy to keep customers.
They said: “Maybe it’s time to rethink these decisions if you want to keep customers.”
Kroger replied online: “Our apologies. Bubly Bounce is no longer carried; it has been discontinued from our stores.
“We do apologize for the inconvenience this may cause. We have shared your feedback & comments with our Leadership Team for further review. Have a great day.”
The shopper urged the retailer to reconsider the decision.
Kroger responded: “We will share your feedback with our Marketing Teams. Thanks!”
Shoppers were left furious when the company scrapped Fizz & Co Seltzers products.
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One said: “There is no product like this in the world. I’m so upset. Surely the demand is there.”
Another complained: “Every day is less good without this product!!!!!!!!!!!”
Some shoppers even lobbied the company to reconsider their decision by sending a slew of emails.
Others created a Facebook group to rally behind getting their favorite flavors back.
Customers had previously shared their frustrations online as they complained about how difficult it had been to buy the item.
Kroger has also discontinued its own brand of apple jelly despite it being branded “underrated” by shoppers.
A representative said: “We’re sorry you’ve been unable to find our Kroger Apple Jelly.
“Unfortunately this item has been discontinued. We apologize for the inconvenience this may cause and hope you have a great rest of your weekend.”
One fan was frustrated after they couldn’t pick up a jar despite visiting 10 outlets.
‘UNDERRATED PRODUCT’
The shopper had gushed over the sweet treat, describing it as the “best” and “underrated”.
Kroger has already told shoppers that the decision to discontinue any product is not one that is “taken lightly”.
They noted: “It takes a lot of effort and time to discontinue a product, so we won’t take that decision lightly.
“We have a team that continually analyzes sales for all of the products we carry, looking at sales results over the years as well as consulting with our store managers.”
Other customers have said they would’ve been close to tears if they couldn’t find the jelly on the shelves.
One said: “I’d probably cry to the manager at Kroger today if they don’t have any apple jelly.”
Meanwhile, the retailer has opened a new Customer Fulfilment Center in Michigan, broadening its delivery service.
Customers up to 90 minutes away from the 135,000-square-foot facility will be able to receive deliveries with Kroger Delivery’s temperature-controlled vans.
The service also uses machine learning algorithms that optimize delivery routes to ensure customers receive their items in a timely manner.
Kroger has also announced details of a $24.6billion merger with its rival Albertsons.
The deal is set to combine more than 2,700 Kroger and 2,200 Albertsons outlets across the US.