Lidl follows Walmart with shelf change to launch at all 190 stores in weeks – shoppers to see prices change in seconds

WHAT if your local grocery store could change the price of an item within hours, minutes, or even seconds?

Well, the future is here, with a new type of tag doing just that in certain stores – and they might be coming to a Lidl near you.

Walmart

Walmart has already begun introducing digital price tags to stores[/caption]

Getty

All 190 Lidl US stores will see electronic price tags implemented by the end of the summer[/caption]

For some customers, they’ve already seen the change in recent years.

Called “dynamic pricing”  tags, they essentially allow the cost of an item to change to match those of its competitors.

Countries like Norway and the Netherlands have already adopted these practices, according to a report by The Wall Street Journal.

Stores like Walmart and Kroger began rolling out electronic price tags over a year ago.

So, is this good or bad for the German-based discounter, whose popularity has recently seen a steady rise in the US?

THE LIDL ROLLOUT HAS ALREADY BEGUN

While the practice of using digital price tags might be a novelty to a good number of Lidl customers and beyond in the US, it certainly isn’t uncommon for international consumers.

Lidl UK announced in February 2024 that the discount supermarket chain would officially adopt electronic price tags in its stores, according to a press release issued by the company.

The implementation of the new digital price tags came after what the company deemed a lucrative and positive trial in 35 locations up to that point.

“Our transition to Electronic Shelf Labels is […] another step we are taking to reduce our impact on the environment by curbing paper and ink consumption,” Isaac Ekpenyong, Lidl’s director of store organization, noted at the time.

Ekpenyong also highlighted that the switch from manually placed paper tags to electronic ones could allow Lidl employees more time to spend on other in-store undertakings.

And as for Lidl locations in America, Ekpenyong’s US counterpart, CEO Joel Rampoldt acknowledged the fears and concerns for Lidl’s loyal fan base over electronic price tags.

“When you say dynamic pricing, the hair on the back of my neck kind of stands up,” Rampoldt told The Journal, admitting that it’s only natural to suspect that prices could rise without shoppers realizing until they’re checking out.

Even so, Rampoldt and The Journal’s reportage were quick to highlight that Lidl US had no plans to use electronic price tags for day-to-day price changes or gouges.

As it stands, Lidl plans to have all 190 of its US locations equipped with these tags by the end of the summer season.

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR US SHOPPERS?

While a certain few European countries and chains on American soil might be adopting these practices, companies and politicians remain split.

The question is whether electronic price tags could be a boon to big box businesses or if they might cause harm to an already precarious market.

A spokesperson from Kroger, a popular US-based supermarket chain and competitor to Lidl, said it would consider using digital price tags – but only up to a certain degree.

“They are a great way to take manual shelf tagging work off our associates’ roles so they can have more time to work with our customers directly,” the rep told The Journal.

“It’s a huge reduction in the paper waste generated by tags,” the spokesperson then stated, pointing out the eco-friendly efficacy of electronic tags.

Others, like Senator Elizabeth Warren (D) and former Pennsylvania Senator Bob Casey (D), weren’t so keen on the idea.

“Widespread adoption of digital price tags appears poised to enable large grocery stores to squeeze consumers to increase profits,” both said in an official statement, according to The Journal.

Despite these worries, The Journal also pointed to a recent study that examined the effects of electronic price tags at Walmart and Kroger locations.

The study concluded that the use of electronic tags has not resulted in price spikes, thanks to “regulatory scrutiny.”

The study also found that “recent regulatory concerns regarding surge pricing in grocery retail are misplaced.”

Lidl also revealed recently that it will be opening up four new locations this summer.

Shoppers also flocked to the retailer for a “comfortable” backyard basic essential for under $50, while a Home Depot version nearly identical to it cost $153.