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.

Apps like Uber already use surge pricing, in which higher demand leads to higher prices in real time. Companies across industries have caused controversy with talk of implementing surge pricing, with fast-food restaurant Wendy’s making headlines most recently. Electronic shelf labels allow the same strategy to be applied at grocery stores, but are not the only reason why retailers may make the switch.

  • 3volver@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    66
    ·
    4 months ago

    If it’s hot outside, we can raise the price of water and ice cream.

    If people are starving after a natural disaster, we can raise the price of everything because they’re desperate and have no alternatives.

    • Captain Janeway@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      13
      arrow-down
      28
      ·
      edit-2
      4 months ago

      Are we to judge simple supply and demand now? If they haven’t been smart enough to save for a disaster, then perhaps they deserve what they get. If they would rather die they had better do it, and decrease the surplus population. Bah. Humbug. A poor excuse for picking a man’s pocket every natural disaster.

      /S