---
answer: direct
beat: ai-society
source: 1 article · updated: July 3, 2026
---

Can electronic shelf labels change prices based on who is standing there?

Electronic shelf label (ESL) systems can technically push a new price to a display in seconds, and when paired with in-store cameras or loyalty-app tracking, that price change can theoretically be triggered by who the system believes is standing in front of it, not just time of day or inventory levels.

Answered in

They Call It Dynamic Pricing. It’s Surveillance Pricing

Grocery chains are reportedly using cameras and AI to price basic goods based on your face, not supply and demand. Here's how the system works.

Crashtech Editorial July 3, 2026 AI & Society

Read the full analysis

Other questions this article answers

More ai & society questions

Every answer on Crashtech is written by the editor of the article it comes from — never auto-summarised. Browse all answers or the AI & Society beat.