Recent advancements in supermarket technology have sparked concern among some members of Congress, who fear that major grocery chains like Kroger and Walmart could be adopting digital price tags to introduce surge pricing—where the cost of everyday essentials, such as eggs and milk, might fluctuate frequently. Critics also raised concerns about the potential use of facial recognition technology to influence pricing decisions.
Kroger, however, firmly denies these claims, stating there are no plans to implement dynamic pricing based on digital tags, nor do they employ facial recognition software for pricing purposes. Walmart echoed similar sentiments, assuring that dynamic pricing is not on their agenda and clarifying that facial recognition is not used to affect prices. While they declined to specify other uses for this technology, both retail giants maintain that fears surrounding the impact of digital price tags are overblown.
Proponents of the technology, including business experts, argue that electronic shelf labels are not driving up grocery costs. In fact, they claim these digital tags have proven to be more environmentally friendly and have streamlined operations within stores, saving valuable time. Despite these assurances, privacy advocates continue to voice concerns, highlighting the need for transparency as these technologies become more widespread in the retail space.
With over 7,000 stores combined, Walmart and Kroger play a central role in shaping the American grocery landscape. As the debate over technology and data privacy intensifies, consumers will be watching closely to see how these innovations affect their shopping experience—and their wallets.