Sony Music Entertainment filed suit against Kroger on Friday in California federal court, alleging the grocery giant used hundreds of its sound recordings in social media advertising without a license. The complaint puts a price on the exposure: Kroger disclosed roughly $1.18 billion in advertising spend for the fiscal year ended January 2026.

The scale of the alleged use

Sony says it counted at least 392 unauthorized posts across Kroger’s own accounts and those of paid influencers. The tally spans 19 corporate entities operating under banners including Ralphs, Mariano’s, Harris Teeter, King Soopers, Fred Meyer Jewelers, Murray’s Cheese, Ruler Foods and meal-kit service Home Chef. Nine Sony-affiliated labels, among them Arista, LaFace, Ultra, Provident Label Group and Zomba Recording, joined the complaint as co-plaintiffs.

Mariano’s accounts for the largest single share with 99 videos, followed by Kroger’s corporate channels at 76 and Murray’s Cheese at 70. Murray’s operates cheese counters in more than a thousand Kroger stores.

The licensing history

The willfulness argument rests on a paper trail. Sony says Kroger negotiated at least 14 licenses with the major between 2017 and 2025, each explicitly covering internet and social media use. One agreement, a seven-week license for The Lovin’ Spoonful’s “Do You Believe in Magic” running November 13 through December 31, 2020, is cited as a benchmark. Seven Kroger-affiliated brands, City Market, Baker’s, Dillons, King Soopers, Fry’s Food Stores, Pick ’n Save and Ralphs, kept their versions of the campaign video public after the license expired. A Ralphs version remained viewable as recently as August 17.

Notice and refusal

Sony says it first put Kroger on notice on June 30, 2025, and that new infringing posts appeared as late as August 12, 2026. The label also says it repeatedly requested a tolling agreement to pause the clock on claims while the parties explored settlement. Kroger declined. The complaint quotes Sony’s position that the continued posting combined with the refusal to toll left no choice but to sue.

Recordings named in the filing include Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You” and OutKast’s “Hey Ya!,” each allegedly used at least 12 times.