Case Study.
Kroger® partners with Polyfuze® to increase safety through improved shopping cart child seat flap labeling.
Since 2012, Kroger has implemented polymer fusion labeling on 2 million shopping carts, in an effort to meet safety standards and protect customers and their children.
Case Study.
Kroger® partners with Polyfuze® to increase safety through improved shopping cart child seat flap labeling.
Since 2012, Kroger has implemented polymer fusion labeling on 2 million shopping carts, in an effort to meet safety standards and protect customers and their children.
2024 Case Study
Kroger’s Long-Term Safety Solution: Durable Cart Labels That Last
Table of Contents
- 1. Executive Summary: Kroger Implements New Warning Labels On Shopping Carts
- 2. Background: Tragedy Prompts ASTM For Label Standards Revision
- 3. The Problem: Challenges Faced in Safety & Warning Labeling Pose Legal Risk
- 4. The Solution: Polymer Fusion Labeling
- 5. The Result: Kroger Implements Polymer Fusion Labels To Pass ASTM Standards
Executive Summary
Kroger Implements New Warning Labels On Shopping Carts With Fusion Labeling
Kroger and its affiliated grocery chains—including Fred Meyer, Ralphs, and King Soopers—recognized the importance of durable, visible warnings on shopping cart seats, especially in light of CPSC data showing an annual average of 21,500 shopping cart-related injuries among children under five. By working with Unarco and adopting Polyfuze’s Polymer Fusion Labeling, Kroger enhanced cart safety to minimize these risks while reducing “Failure to Warn” liability.
Background
Tragedy Prompts ASTM For Label Standards Revision
The CPSC’s reporting on shopping cart injuries among young children underscores the critical need for effective, long-lasting warnings. Falls from carts account for about 84% of these injuries, with a high concentration of head and facial trauma. This data, along with ASTM’s revised standards, highlighted a clear gap in traditional hot stamp foil labels, which often degrade in under a year. Kroger’s move to upgrade their labels reflects a proactive stance on addressing these safety needs.
The Problem
Challenges Faced in Safety & Warning Labeling Pose Legal Risk
Kroger’s grocery cart labels faced significant durability issues, especially in a high-use environment. Traditional hot stamp foil labels wore down quickly due to the combined effects of regular cart washings, UV exposure, and daily handling. Parents frequently use in-store sanitizing wipes on cart handles and seat flaps before placing their children in the cart, accelerating label degradation. With labels fading in under a year, critical safety warnings became nearly unreadable, increasing Kroger’s “Failure to Warn” liability.
Shopping cart safety is an ongoing concern. Between 2008 and 2012, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) recorded an annual average of 21,500 shopping cart-related injuries in children under five. These injuries predominantly involved falls, often resulting in head and facial trauma—about 85% of total injuries involved the head or face, including concussions and severe fractures. In fact, 90,500 injuries from 2008–2012 were due to falls alone, underscoring the need for durable and visible safety warnings on cart seating areas
The Solution
Polymer Fusion Labeling
Through Unarco’s collaboration with Polyfuze, Kroger’s stores adopted Polymer Fusion Labeling. Unlike traditional labels, Polyfuze’s solution bonds at a molecular level with polyolefin plastics, delivering permanent, multi-color safety labels that withstand everything from cleaning chemicals to outdoor storage. Beyond safety warnings, this technology offers flexibility for customer interaction through QR codes, branding, and more, making it versatile across cart components like handles and flaps.
Sure enough, we stamped the Polyfuze Label, then I took a knife to it and it was fused in there! That blew me away! You couldn’t do that with a heat transfer… I can say that our scrap rate, using Polyfuze versus heat transfers, is far less… Once you start using it, it sells itself.
– Rubbermaid Engineer
The Result
Kroger Implements Polymer Fusion Labels To Pass ASTM Standards
Unarco facilitated the transition to Polyfuze’s durable labels across Kroger’s brands. The new labels resist weather, frequent handling, and rigorous cleaning routines, ensuring they last the entire 10–13-year life expectancy of each cart. With these updates, Kroger ensured that safety labels would stay visible and effective for years.
Since the initial rollout in 2012, Kroger’s Polymer Fusion Labels have exceeded expectations, still retaining their clarity and vibrancy. This proactive move reduced “Failure to Warn” liability while establishing Kroger as an industry leader in retail safety and durability standards.
The Problem: Traditional Methods
The Solution: Polymer Fusion Labeling
Written By:
Matthew Stevenson
Published On:
January 1, 2024
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