UFCW urges Democrats to ban electronic shelf labels in U.S. grocery stores

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UFCW urges ban on shelf labels

Highlights

United Food and Commercial Workers union urges newly elected Democrats to ban electronic shelf labels and personalized pricing in U.S. grocery stores.
The Federal Trade Commission last week ordered major grocery chains to prepare detailed reports on their pricing practices, intensifying scrutiny of digital price tags.
New Jersey bans surveillance pricing and imposes a one-year moratorium on electronic shelf labels, while Maryland requires daily price locks on groceries.

Union push targets grocery pricing technology

As reported by Business Insider, the United Food and Commercial Workers union, which represents more than 1.2 million people, is calling on newly elected Democrats to pass legislation that keeps digital price tags and personalized pricing out of grocery stores.

In a statement celebrating victories by labor-backed candidates, UFCW says lawmakers should ban surveillance pricing and electronic shelf labels so shoppers are protected from corporate price gouging. UFCW president Milton Jones says the measures are needed to keep food prices fair and maintain grocery workers in stores.

The debate intensifies as retailers including Walmart and Kroger continue replacing printed tags with digital versions that can be updated remotely. The Federal Trade Commission says last week it ordered several of the largest grocery chains to prepare detailed reports on their pricing practices.

State rules and retailer response shape the debate

FTC Chairman Andrew N. Ferguson says consumers deserve to know whether companies use web browsing habits or other personal data to estimate the highest price they can charge each customer.

Some states already take action against the practices. New Jersey earlier this year bans surveillance pricing and imposes a one-year moratorium on electronic labels, while Maryland requires retailers to lock in prices for at least one business day.

Retailers defend the tools by saying they simplify a labor-intensive process, improve accuracy and keep pricing fair and transparent. Walmart and Target say in statements last month that they do not use personal information to charge shoppers a higher price and will not do so in the future, although both chains still offer personalized discounts through promotions and membership programs.

Our earlier coverage on Walmart’s improving outlook in an inflationary environment highlighted how the retailer is leaning into automation and digital services to drive market share gains. We also noted that Walmart’s tech push includes expanding e-commerce and tools like its AI shopping assistant, underscoring how large grocers are increasingly blending retail with technology to influence pricing, operations, and the customer experience.

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