Kroger will pay up to $1.2 billion to settle most nationwide

Kroger on Friday said it has agreed to pay $1.2 billion to U.S. states, subdivisions and Native American tribes to settle the majority of claims that it fueled the opioid epidemic through lax oversight of its pill sales. 

That settlement would allow for “full resolution” of all claims on behalf of those parties, Kroger said in a release ahead of its second-quarter earnings. Still, the company said the settlement is not an admission of wrongdoing or liability. 

“Kroger will continue to vigorously defend against any other claims and lawsuits…