this post was submitted on 20 Jun 2024
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Technology

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A supermarket trip may soon look different, thanks to electronic shelf labels (www.npr.org)
submitted 4 months ago by theangriestbird@beehaw.org to c/technology@beehaw.org
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Grocery store prices are changing faster than ever before — literally. This month, Walmart became the latest retailer to announce it’s replacing the price stickers in its aisles with electronic shelf labels. The new labels allow employees to change prices as often as every ten seconds.

“If it’s hot outside, we can raise the price of water and ice cream. If there's something that’s close to the expiration date, we can lower the price — that’s the good news,” said Phil Lempert, a grocery industry analyst.

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[–] BCsven@lemmy.ca 8 points 4 months ago (1 children)

I would think the price changes happen overnight. With their system each RFID type price label can be flipped when the push the pricing to the register system.

I'm sure the old way was a deterrwnt in changeing prices because they had to call staff in to swap labels. Now it is computerized, so on a whim they can adjust.

We had an oat drink we liked one day 4.99 go back to grab another the next day 7.99. Few days later 3.50...we said screw this company and just got it at Walmart where price was consitent every time.

[–] blindsight@beehaw.org 2 points 4 months ago

Yeah, fair. It's frustrating when prices fluctuate; I'm lucky that we don't have many "must have" items on our shipping lists, and I'm very price sensitive, so I just don't buy things that are expensive. And I only used to go to Superstore at most weekly, so I'd never have noticed daily fluctuations.