KROGER AND WESTERN UNION TEAM UP TO FIGHT HUNGER IN LOCAL COMMUNITIES
$217,000 Donated to Local Food Banks and Hunger Relief Agencies

CINCINNATI, OH, December 18, 2003 -- The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR) and Western Union Financial Services, Inc., a subsidiary of First Data Corp. (NYSE: FDC) today announced that the companies will contribute $217,000 to local hunger relief programs in communities served by Kroger and Western Union.

The donation is a collaboration of The Kroger Co. Foundation and the First Data Western Union Foundation. Thirty-eight emergency feeding programs – including food banks, soup kitchens and local pantries around the country – will benefit from the matching grant project.

“This collaboration is a great way for Kroger and Western Union to assist hunger relief programs in the local community, especially at a time when food banks and pantries are challenged by the busy holiday season and a weak economy,” said Lynn Marmer, Kroger group vice president of corporate affairs.

“Teaming with Kroger in the fight against hunger allows us to double our contributions and truly maximize each of our efforts to reach out to the communities that we serve,” said Bill Thomas, president, Western Union, The Americas.

“During this season of giving, it’s even more important to remember that there are people in our community who need a helping hand meeting the most basic of needs,” adds Luella Chavez D’Angelo, president, First Data Western Union Foundation. “Our work with Kroger will help put food on the table for needy individuals and families.”

About Kroger
Headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, Kroger is one of the nation’s largest retail grocery chains. At the end of the third quarter of fiscal 2003, the Company operated (either directly or through its subsidiaries) 2,530 supermarkets and multi-department stores in 32 states under two dozen banners including Kroger, Ralphs, Fred Meyer, Food 4 Less, King Soopers, Smith’s, Fry’s and Fry’s Marketplace, Dillons, QFC and City Market. Kroger also operated (either directly, through its subsidiaries or franchise agreements) 798 convenience stores, 445 fine jewelry stores, 442 supermarket fuel centers and 41 food processing plants. The Company contributed $106 million last year to local communities and non-profit organizations. For more information about Kroger, please visit our web site at www.kroger.com, where a wide variety of fine jewelry and holiday flowers are available at great prices.

About Western Union Financial Services, Inc. and First Data
Western Union Financial Services, Inc., a subsidiary of First Data Corp. (NYSE: FDC), is an international leader in consumer money transfer services. Consumers can quickly and reliably pay bills and transfer money around the globe using the company’s proprietary money transfer network. Western Union and its subsidiary, Orlandi Valuta, together make up one of the world’s largest money transfer networks with approximately 169,000 Agent locations in more than 195 countries and territories. Famous for its pioneering telegraph service, the original Western Union dates back to 1851 and introduced electronic money transfer service in 1871. For more information, please visit the company’s Web site at www.westernunion.com.

First Data Corp., with global headquarters in Denver, helps power the global economy. Serving approximately 3 million merchant locations, 1,400 card issuers and millions of consumers, First Data makes it easy, fast and secure for people and businesses to buy goods and services, using virtually any form of payment: credit, debit, smart card, stored-value card or check at the point-of-sale, over the Internet or by money transfer. For more information, please visit the company’s Web site at www.firstdata.com.

About the First Data Western Union Foundation
The First Data Western Union Foundation supports educational, health, and human service programs transnationally that improve and enhance the lives of individuals, families and communities most in need; awards post-secondary educational scholarships to non-traditional, low-income students in the United States; and provides aid during times of natural disaster. In its first three years of charitable giving, the Foundation has awarded over $7 million in grants and scholarships worldwide. For more information about the Foundation, visit our web site at www.firstdatawesternunion.org or call (303) 967-6606.

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