(Reuters) – The Kroger Co. has agreed to pay West Virginia $68 million to settle claims that it fueled the opioid epidemic through lax oversight of its pill sales, bringing the state’s years-long litigation over opioids to a close.
The deal, announced Thursday by West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey, comes a month before the grocery store had been set to go to trial against the state. All other companies sued by the state over opioids had already settled.
Mr. Morrisey at a news conference said the deal marked “a big day for West Virginia.”
Kroger did not immediately respond to a request for comment.