* FRONT COVER * LETTER TO SHAREHOLDERS * 2016 COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARD * PROXY STATEMENT   + Notice of 2017 Annual Meeting of Shareholders   + Kroger’s Corporate Governance Practices   + Proposals to Shareholders   + Information Concerning the Board of Directors   + Director Compensation   + Beneficial Ownership of Common Stock   + Section 16(a) Beneficial Ownership Reporting Compliance   + Related Person Transactions   + Compensation Discussion and Analysis   + Compensation Committee Report   + Executive Compensation Tables   + Audit Committee Report   + Shareholder Proposals and Director Nominations - 2018         Annual Meeting   + 2016 Annual Report   + Householding of Proxy Materials * 2016 ANNUAL REPORT   + Financial Report 2016   + Selected Financial Data   + Common Share Price Range   + Performance Graph   + Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial         Condition and Results of Operations     - OUR BUSINESS     - USE OF NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES     - OVERVIEW     - RESULTS OF OPERATIONS     - COMMON SHARE REPURCHASE PROGRAMS     - CAPITAL INVESTMENTS     - RETURN ON INVESTED CAPITAL     - CRITICAL ACCOUNTING POLICIES     - RECENTLY ADOPTED ACCOUNTING STANDARDS     - RECENTLY ISSUED ACCOUNTING STANDARDS     - LIQUIDITY AND CAPITAL RESOURCES     - OUTLOOK   + Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm   + Consolidated Financial Statements     - CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS     - CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS     - CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF           COMPREHENSIVE INCOME     - CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS     - CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN           SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY     - NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS       + 1. ACCOUNTING POLICIES       + 2. MERGERS       + 3. GOODWILL AND INTANGIBLE ASSETS       + 4. PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT, NET       + 5. TAXES BASED ON INCOME       + 6. DEBT OBLIGATIONS       + 7. DERIVATIVE FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS       + 8. FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS       + 9. ACCUMULATED OTHER COMPREHENSIVE             INCOME (LOSS)       + 10. LEASES AND LEASE-FINANCED TRANSACTIONS       + 11. EARNINGS PER COMMON SHARE       + 12. STOCK OPTION PLANS       + 13. COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES       + 14. STOCK       + 15. COMPANY- SPONSORED BENEFIT PLANS       + 16. MULTI-EMPLOYER PENSION PLANS       + 17. RECENTLY ADOPTED ACCOUNTING STANDARDS       + 18. RECENTLY ISSUED ACCOUNTING STANDARDS       + 19. QUARTERLY DATA (UNAUDITED)       + 20. SUBSEQUENT EVENT * EXECUTIVE OFFICERS * OPERATING UNIT HEADS * BACK COVER