This is a privacy intrusion that should be banned nationally.

“To be clear, Kroger does not and has never engaged in ‘surge pricing,’” the statement said. “Any test of electronic shelf tags is designed to lower prices for more customers where it matters most.”

Isn't that the same thing? It doesn't matter if you raise prices on demand or lower them, the outcome is the same - different pricing at different times.

We need a law in the US banning the use of computer assistance for identifying humans. Hands down. It's not accurate, and it only emboldens people controlling resources.

I think they are absolutely, positively, going to breach their face database and everyone's purchase history all over the Internet.

I've been watching for an event like this with popcorn ready.

I've got a good/bad/terrible feeling that they're playing for keeps in the race to be the biggest consumer privacy headline public relations disaster.

We need a large, well-organized movement to demand that the government add a right to privacy to the US Constitution.

A Kroger spokesperson said in a statement that the company’s business model is built on a “foundation of lowering prices to attract more customers.” “To be clear, Kroger does not and has never engaged in ‘surge pricing,’” the statement said. “Any test of electronic shelf tags is designed to lower prices for more customers where it matters most.”

I know these PR people get paid a lot to tell bald-faced lies, but I just don't understand how they live with themselves.

The key phrase to remember here is: Price Discrimination.

Stores already possess the technology to track anyone's shopping experience through loyalty cards. The "discounts" you get are really just a tax on everyone that doesn't participate, and the benefits to the company for having your data are worth potentially losing business from un-tracked customers. That's how valuable your data is.

So why aren't we seeing per-customer targeting? This is not to suggest that businesses are benign here, but rather, just cautious about outright per-customer discounts and other price manipulation. Custom coupons are kinda/sorta a part of this. IMO, the door is still wide-open to find ways palatable to the customer (and courts) while dialing everyone in.

In that context, all cameras do is make the system practically impossible to dodge. Considering how much stores value that kind of information, it makes sense they'd invest to capture 100% of their retail activity.

If companies can't protect the information they collect now, (a large portion of it gathered without consent), how are they going to protect even more information; and where can I opt out?....smh

Kroger also owns: Ralphs, Dillons, Smith’s, King Soopers, Fred Myer, Fry’s, QFC, City Market, Owen’s, Jay C, Pay Less, Baker’s, Gerbes, Harris Teeter, Pick‘n Save, Metro Market and Mariano’s.

Mask mandates may not be in effect but I can wear one to the grocery store. This is stupid and I will not participate.

Oh no, I accidentally smudged a little bit of paint over the facial recognition camera lens... Oops!

...attracting criticism from lawmakers, who warn it could...

Oh my, if only there were someone with the resources and authority to do something about it.

Surge pricing=price gouging, there is no difference

Kroger is one of the more expensive grocery stores in my area. Less reason to go now. Aldi is the way

This is appalling.

So nice to live in the Balkans where prices are still on paper, and in some stores you can still barter depending on the quantity you're buying. 😄

And it definitely won't negatively affect people of color, at all, will it?

I've been pretty lazy about changing stores since they had the easiest pick up i had found in my area, but i guess this is the ass kick i need to make sure i never go back.

Sucks they own almost all the groceries in my area. But i can trust that it's not a monopoly, right?

Groceries prices deeeeefinately aren't inflated. Nope. All good here.

In the USA, facial recognition isn't legal in some states (e.g. the company needs written permission from the individual to collect their facial data in Illinois), and other stores have had issues with facial recognition (e.g. https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2023/12/rite-aid-banned-using-ai-facial-recognition-after-ftc-says-retailer-deployed-technology-without) so I'm not sure how Kroger think they'll succeed with this.

Well, they wrote some letters. There's nothing more the nations law makers can do to protect citizens from corporate greed and price gouging. /s

We all need to wear little bowties that spritz semi clear paint into the cameras as we browse price tags.

Or can someone start a tick tok trend where the kids go to stores and eat these little devices off the shelves as a real "just prank bro"?

Also, remember that corporate rats do these things to give each other cover. Kroger has to be the face of bad guy this time, but don't you think for a second that Safeway and even the new "leadership" at Costco aren't prepping the same right now.

Just don't shop at kroger. Problem solved. In some cases this may be the only available store but in those cases the prices are usually higher anyway. No matter the company operating the store

What's the benefit to the customer here? Idk if a store where I live started doing this, I would just stop going there. I know that can be difficult with the grocery monopolies in a lot of places, but I would try my hardest.

I think facial recognition should be banned outright because it's highly inaccurate, racially biased, and used improperly by law enforcement. But in cases like this, even just a ban for all non-law enforcement applications would be really helpful. People don't benefit from this! Just corporations, and barely so.

In my work as a government contractor, I witnessed the use of facial recognition for access control (getting into certain parts of a building) in exactly 1 building (of several dozens) and it was so completely unnecessary that I was left wondering what kind of nepotism or budget surplus lead to the implementation of such a lame security tool.

There's no way lawmakers stop this, so anyone know a way to wear a mask in public without looking like a lunatic?

That might be ugly, but something like that...