The answer to this question is complicated and depends on the specific facts of each case. However, generally speaking, Kroger is the majority owner of Meijer, with a 54% stake in the company.
The remaining 46% is owned by other investors. .
While Kroger technically owns Meijer, the company operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of Kroger. This means that Kroger has the final say in all major decisions made by Meijer, including how the company is run and what products are sold.
There have been accusations made in the past that Kroger has used its ownership of Meijer to unfairly compete with smaller, independent grocery stores. However, these allegations have never been proven.
In the end, it is up to each individual shopper to decide whether they think Meijer is owned by Kroger or not.