Supermarkets have become more than just places to stock up your pantry.

In many cases, they offer services beyond just selling food. Walmart, for example, has eyeglass services, as does Target, and many supermarket chains, including Publix, Albertson’s, and other regional favorites, offer in-store pharmacies.

Kroger built upon its pharmacy business by adding walk-in medical clinics to some of its stores beginning in 2017. Those locations, later named “Little Clinics,” were an attempt to bring more health care choices to Kroger customers.

The retailer has learned some hard lessons about health care since it entered the primary care space.

Timothy Hoff, professor of management health care systems at Northeastern University, said in an interview with Northeastern Global News in 2024 that retailers are facing challenges in health care.

“It’s the classic story of expanding too quickly and realizing the business model doesn’t necessarily work for that kind of growth,” said Hoff. “Primary care is a very low-margin business. The reimbursements are low. You’re not going to make a lot on each transaction.”

Now, Kroger has decided to close dozens of Little Clinics across multiple states.

Kroger joins a growing trend

While primary care seems ripe for disruption, Kroger is not alone in struggling to figure it out. CVS and Walgreens have both scaled back their efforts to offer walk-in clincs at their stores, while Walmart has fully closed its in-store health clinics.

Walmart was blunt in explaining why it chose to shut down its 51 health care clinics and a virtual health care offering.

“We understand this change affects lives — the patients who receive care, the associates and providers who deliver care, and the communities who supported us along the way. This is a difficult decision, and like others, the challenging reimbursement environment and escalating operating costs create a lack of profitability that make the care business unsustainable for us at this time,” the company shared in a press release.

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GlobalData Managing Director Neil Saunders explained why Walmart and other retailers have struggled in the health care space.

“Walmart is used to serving consumers directly and having them pay for products and services. Healthcare isn’t like that,” Saunders told RetailDive. “It’s a complex web of interested parties and Walmart having to deal with insurers for reimbursements has been problematic.” 

Saunders said Walmart is performing well overall, but will likely face more top-line pressure. As a result, he said the retailer will need to double down on efficiency to deliver on the bottom line.

Supermarkets have expanded beyond just selling food.

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Kroger joins a growing trend

Kroger has hit many of the same roadblocks as Walmart, CVS, and Walgreens and has been scaling back the Little Clinic brand.

The supermarket giant has not explained why its shutting down many of its health clinics.

“After considering how to best serve our patients, we have made the decision to close three local clinic locations,” a spokesperson told the Cincinnati Business Courier.

Americans also prefer traditional doctors’ offices, according to a public opinion survey released by the Primary Care Collaborative (PCC).

  • Adults in the United States overwhelmingly prefer receiving care from primary care practices (73%) over retail clinics (5%), urgent/walk-in care clinics (12%), and emergency departments (4%).
  • Nearly three-quarters (73%) of U.S. adults prefer to receive primary health care services at a primary care practice, with 90% of Americans 55 and older preferring primary care practices over alternatives.

The study also showed that Americans have struggled to get access to the health care they need.

“Just over one-in-four (28%) adults indicated they did not have an ongoing relationship with a primary care clinician. Of those who do, nearly one-in-four (23%) indicated they were either only sometimes able (17%) or were never able (6%) to get an appointment with their care team in the past six months,” the research showed.

Kroger has also closed dozens of supermarket locations under a number of brand names.

Related: Key household services provider files Chapter 11 bankruptcy

Kroger closes Little Clinics

Kroger has not commented on its overall strategy for its Little Clinics and has not responded to requests from multiple publications for comment.

  • Kroger is closing in‑store walk‑in Little Clinic health care locations in Indiana, including in Indianapolis, Carmel, and Fishers. Some had already closed as of Feb. 28, 2026, with others slated for April 4, according to Yahoo.
  • Kroger will close three Little Clinic locations in the Greater Cincinnati region (two in Milford and one in Wilmington) by March 28, reported Local12.
  • The Little Clinic inside the Wilmington Kroger is confirmed to close on April 4, according to WNewsJ.
  • Kroger is planning to shutter all 18 of its Little Clinic locations in Georgia, effective April 4, 2026, shared Grocery Dive.

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