Modern Retail Podcast
· with Jason Straczewski and Ademola Oyefeso
· April 18, 2026
· 37 min
Summary
Electronic shelf labels (ESLs) are gaining traction with major retailers like Kroger and Walmart for their efficiency in managing price and stock changes. However, this episode highlights a critical debate between retailers and labor unions/consumer advocates. It explores the benefits of ESLs for retailers, such as increased accuracy, staff time savings, and faster in-store operations, against concerns about potential job losses, unfair price increases through "surveillance pricing" (dynamic pricing based on shopper data), and "algorithmic pricing" (AI-driven real-time adjustments).
Key takeaways
Retailers deploying ESLs must be prepared to address concerns around job displacement and pricing fairness, as these are central to the legislative push being made by unions like UFCW.
Understand the current legislative landscape regarding price gouging and consumer protection, as these laws are being re-examined in the context of advanced pricing technologies like ESLs and AI.
Be aware of the potential for "surveillance pricing" and "algorithmic pricing" with ESLs and AI. Retailers should consider the ethical implications and consumer trust aspects of these strategies.
Explore how ESLs can genuinely increase operational efficiency and accuracy while proactively mitigating the societal concerns they raise to avoid negative public and legislative backlash.
Stay informed on the legislative efforts by organizations like UFCW to regulate in-store pricing technology, as these regulations could significantly impact future retail operations and technology adoption.
Electronic shelf labels are nothing new.
Lately, though, the topic has been making headlines as companies like Kroger and Walmart announce they'll be rolling out more of the technology across their stores. The small screens replace the paper stickers that store employees would have to replace by hand anytime there is a price change or stock change.
But this is raising concerns among grocery store workers and consumer advocates about the potential for unfair price increases. In turn, the United Food and Commercial Workers union is making a legislative push across states and in Congress to regulate what companies can and can't do regarding in-store pricing.
On this episode of the Modern Retail Podcast, special projects editor Melissa Daniels interviews lobbyists on both sides of the issue: Jason Straczewski, group vice president of government relations and political affairs at the National Retail Federation, and Ademola Oyefeso, UFCW International Vice President and Director of Legislative and Political Action.
The interviews get into why electronic shelf labels can benefit retailers because of the efficiency they provide, including increased accuracy, saved staff time and faster in-store operations. But the UFCW has argued that the technology could cost workers their jobs. Beyond that, UFCW has also raised concerns about the unilateral ability for companies to change prices, which could open the door to "surveillance pricing," or when companies change prices based on the data they have around who is shopping. There are also concerns about "algorithmic pricing," or using automation to adjust prices in real-time.
In the episode, we'll also hear about:
The legislative push UFCW is making in states and where that stands.
What existing laws already say about price gouging and consumer protection.
How this fight opens the door to concerns around companies using AI to determine pricing.
What does this episode say about retail & omnichannel?
Retailers deploying ESLs must be prepared to address concerns around job displacement and pricing fairness, as these are central to the legislative push being made by unions like UFCW.
What does this episode say about ai & automation?
Understand the current legislative landscape regarding price gouging and consumer protection, as these laws are being re-examined in the context of advanced pricing technologies like ESLs and AI.
What does this episode say about supply chain & operations?
Be aware of the potential for "surveillance pricing" and "algorithmic pricing" with ESLs and AI. Retailers should consider the ethical implications and consumer trust aspects of these strategies.
What does this episode say about retail & omnichannel?
Explore how ESLs can genuinely increase operational efficiency and accuracy while proactively mitigating the societal concerns they raise to avoid negative public and legislative backlash.
What does this episode say about retail & omnichannel?
Stay informed on the legislative efforts by organizations like UFCW to regulate in-store pricing technology, as these regulations could significantly impact future retail operations and technology adoption.
