It’s simple: Whenever I have time, I go to different supermarkets to make sure I get every item at the lowest possible price. Tracking sales has been part of my normal routine for over a decade.
When I’m in a rush, I have to do all my shopping at one store, but I’m still looking for the best value. The latest industry statistics and trends reveal that I am not alone.
In fact, 47% of global consumers, including 35% of those from high-income households, are now classified as “value seekers,” or those who regularly sacrifice convenience for better deals. Deloitte 2026 Consumer Products Industry Global Outlook.
The home food index increased by 2.4 percent in the 12 months ending in February. US Bureau of Labor StatisticsConsumers are changing strategies to meet basic needs.
Private labels: Consumers are increasingly turning to private brands.
Wilfulness: 45% of consumers now make strict shopping lists before entering a store, and 37% compare prices between brands before making a decision.
bulk purchasing: There was a 4% increase in shoppers choosing larger “value sizes” to lower cost per ounce. Sources: NielsenIQ October 2025 report, NielsenIQ 2026 Consumer Outlook
As consumers become more creative in coping with current economic conditions, retail giants like Walmart are making changes of their own, some of which have shoppers concerned.
Walmart was recently awarded patents from the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). artificial intelligence Tools to help determine pricing on e-commerce platforms reported Gizmodo.
One of these patents, US-1254776-B2, includes systems and methods for dynamically and automatically updating product prices on e-commerce platforms.
“Once price elasticity data and forecast demand data are both available for the product, an initial discount price for the product is created using an initial model based on: price elasticity data, forecast demand data, and current price,” the patent states. Definition.
When price elasticity data and forecast demand data are not available, a “cap price” is created on the platform, allowing a range to be selected to set a new price.
The second patent recently granted to Walmart, US-12572954-B2It uses machine learning to predict demand for various items and recommend prices. “The scheme in the filing even suggests that third-party data may be used to help set the price, a controversial practice when used by other businesses such as airlines to set fares,” Gizmodo writes.
News about Walmart’s new patents draws attention on social media as consumers express their concerns dynamic pricing and surveillance pricing, especially after the retailer implemented Digital Shelf Labels (DSLs) in its stores.
Walmart announced on March 2 that nearly 2,300 Walmart locations in the U.S. currently use electronic displays instead of traditional paper price tags, and that the technology should roll out chainwide within the next year.
While Walmart says the goal of the new technology is to help employees, retail expert and TheStreet Editor-in-Chief Daniel Kline recently reported that experts and customers are questioning the potential ulterior motives behind the move.
“News on Walmart launch… DSLs are dynamic or surge pricingwhere retailers or other businesses quickly change the cost of products or services based on fluctuations in demand due to weather or traffic, and even use personal data such as location, browsing history, and purchasing patterns to set personalized prices. RetailTel.
Walmart receives patent for AI-powered price changes.PhotographerIncognito/Shutterstock.com ·PhotographerConfidential/Shutterstock.com
Currently, dynamic pricing and surveillance pricing are the subject of significant nationwide debate involving the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), Congress, and various state legislatures.
Dynamic pricing It is the practice of adjusting prices in real time or at short intervals based on external factors such as supply and demand, inventory levels, time of day, user behavior or market conditions. Vorys.
Surveillance pricing It is even more complex because it requires the use of consumer data, including location, history, web browsing history or demographic information, to create personalized prices for goods and services. King and Spalding.
While government officials are moving to ban surveillance pricing, lawmakers say it is predatory and discriminatory. On the other hand, retailers argue that the ban could eliminate loyalty discounts.
In February 2026, US senators introduced: Stop Price Gouging in Grocery Stores ActIt prohibits “companies from using new technologies to raise grocery prices for Americans.”
While initial bans failed in some states, New York now requires stores to disclose whether they use AI to price products, and several other states, including Pennsylvania, Maryland and Washington, are now pushing for full bans. King and Spalding.
News of Walmart’s DSLs and patents spread quickly across the internet, increasing consumer concerns about potential dynamic pricing. General opinion regarding the recent period Reddit thread Discussing the news is extremely negative, unsafe and scary.
Customers are concerned that Walmart’s changes will result in:
“Dynamic pricing needs to be made illegal immediately. Nip this nonsense in the bud,” wrote a DataCassette user.
Some users, like Tasty-Traffic-680, suggest the possibility of exploiting customers in the middle of a crisis. “I expect someone to ‘accidentally’ dynamically price something like bottled water in an emergency,” they wrote.
Others have expressed concerns about potential individual-level price discrimination, pointing out that the apps on our phones collect enough data to allow retailers to adjust prices.
Some users suggest that consumers should stop shopping at Walmart altogether and take their business to competitors. costco.
“Looks like I’ll be dynamically changing where I buy food when this goes into effect,” user Informal-Sense8809 wrote.
Once a retailer loses the trust of its customers, it is difficult to regain it. I explored this in my reporting on Target’s attempts to win back consumer loyalty after years of poor sales and controversy. boycotts.
When Walmart announced digital shelf labels, it also dismissed plans to use the technology for dynamic pricing.
According to Walmart, “Prices are the same for all customers at any store and are consistent regardless of demand, time of day or who is shopping.” expression.
The official reason the retailer uses DLSs is to increase efficiency because it takes hours or even days to replace paper labels by hand. The company claims that this way, employees will be free to spend more time with customers and organize shelves.
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Regarding the patent concerns, Walmart said: Finance Times electronic tags “have nothing to do with dynamic pricing.” The retailer also claimed that one of the patents in question was “exclusive to discounts,” according to Gizmodo.
Discounts are often held to clear inventory and end-of-season items.
Retail expert Carol Spieckerman notes that Walmart’s efficiency claims may be true now, but there are no limits built into the technology itself.
“The truth is: There are no preventive technical measures. surge pricing or other forms of price manipulation. This capability is available. However, two things can be true at the same time. Multifaceted efficiency arguments are also easy to make and actually valid,” Spieckerman wrote. RetailTel.
Other experts suggest that this change is a purely operational gain that will benefit both employees and shoppers.
Ademola Oyefeso, vice president of the United Food and Commercial Workers Union, has previously said digital labeling is no stranger to consumers.
“If you go to a baseball game and the baseball game ends, you get in a vehicle, you call and you try to leave, there’s an increase in that. So this technology will allow grocery stores to do the same thing,” Oyefeso said. Buffalo Toronto Public Media.
Walmart leads other stores by 13 points in terms of value. March 2026 YouGov reportIt’s hard to imagine that it would risk losing that position and the hard-earned trust of its consumers.
“Dynamic pricing or anything that smacks of playing with fire,” Matt Hamory, a grocery industry consultant at AlixPartners, told the Financial Times. “Consumer confidence is being eroded because they don’t know they’re getting the best price at all times.”
Related: Lowe’s is making big changes to the way you interact with its stores
