QUARTERLY DATA (UNAUDITED) (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, shares in Millions, $ in Millions	3 Months Ended	4 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
Jan. 28, 2017	Nov. 05, 2016	Aug. 13, 2016	Jan. 30, 2016	Nov. 07, 2015	Aug. 15, 2015	May 21, 2016	May 23, 2015	Jan. 28, 2017	Jan. 30, 2016	Jan. 31, 2015
Quarterly Financial Information
Fiscal Period Duration	84 days	84 days	84 days	84 days	84 days	84 days	112 days	112 days	364 days	364 days	364 days
Sales	$ 27,611	$ 26,557	$ 26,565	$ 26,165	$ 25,075	$ 25,539	$ 34,604	$ 33,051	$ 115,337	$ 109,830	$ 108,465
Merchandise costs, including advertising, warehousing, and transportation, excluding items shown separately below	21,483	20,653	20,697	20,193	19,478	20,065	26,669	25,760	89,502	85,496	85,512
Operating, general and administrative	4,483	4,443	4,473	4,355	4,169	4,068	5,779	5,354	19,178	17,946	17,161
Rent	215	199	205	181	172	155	262	215	881	723	707
Depreciation and amortization	572	549	525	508	484	477	694	620	2,340	2,089	1,948
Operating profit	858	713	665	928	772	774	1,200	1,102	3,436	3,576	3,137
Interest expense	126	124	116	113	107	114	155	148	522	482	488
Earnings before income tax expense	732	589	549	815	665	660	1,045	954	2,914	3,094	2,649
Income tax expense	230	206	171	250	238	227	350	330	957	1,045	902
Net earnings including noncontrolling interests	502	383	378	565	427	433	695	624	1,957	2,049	1,747
Net earnings (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests	(4)	(8)	(5)	6	(1)		(1)	5	(18)	10	19
Net earnings attributable to The Kroger Co.	$ 506	$ 391	$ 383	$ 559	$ 428	$ 433	$ 696	$ 619	$ 1,975	$ 2,039	$ 1,728
Net earnings attributable to The Kroger Co. per basic common share	$ 0.54	$ 0.41	$ 0.40	$ 0.57	$ 0.44	$ 0.44	$ 0.72	$ 0.63	$ 2.08	$ 2.09	$ 1.74
Average number of common shares used in basic calculation	929	940	943	966	965	963	954	969	942	966	981
Net earnings attributable to The Kroger Co. per diluted common share	$ 0.53	$ 0.41	$ 0.40	$ 0.57	$ 0.43	$ 0.44	$ 0.71	$ 0.62	$ 2.05	$ 2.06	$ 1.72
Average number of common shares used in diluted calculation	943	953	959	980	979	977	966	983	958	980	993
Dividends declared per common share	$ 0.120	$ 0.120	$ 0.120	$ 0.105	$ 0.105	$ 0.105	$ 0.105	$ 0.093	$ 0.465	$ 0.408	$ 0.350
UFCW Consolidated Pension Plan
Quarterly Financial Information
Operating, general and administrative				$ 30	$ 80
Multi-employer Pension Plan
Quarterly Financial Information
Operating, general and administrative			$ 111

The aggregate total of expenses of managing and administering the affairs of an entity, including affiliates of the reporting entity, which are not directly or indirectly associated with the manufacture, sale or creation of a product or product line, excluding rental expense incurred for leased assets including furniture and equipment which has not been recognized in costs and expenses applicable to sales and revenues; for example, cost of goods sold or other operating costs and expenses.

No definition available.