Latest news with #Loblaws
The Star
12 hours ago
- Business
- The Star
Shoppers are wary of digital shelf labels, but a study found they don't lead to price surges
Digital price labels, which are rapidly replacing paper shelf tags at US supermarkets, haven't led to demand-based pricing surges, according to a new study that examined five years' worth of prices at one grocery chain. But some shoppers, consumer advocates and lawmakers remain sceptical about the tiny electronic screens, which let stores change prices instantly from a central computer instead of having workers swap out paper labels by hand. "It's corporations vs. the humans, and that chasm between us goes further and further,' said Dan Gallant, who works in sports media in Edmonton, Canada. Gallant's local Loblaws supermarket recently switched to digital labels. Social media is filled with warnings that grocers will use the technology to charge more for ice cream if it's hot outside, hike the price of umbrellas if it's raining or to gather information about customers. Democratic US Senators Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Bob Casey of Pennsylvania fired off a letter to Kroger last fall demanding to know whether it would use its electronic labels as part of a dynamic pricing strategy. Lawmakers in Rhode Island and Maine have introduced bills to limit the use of digital labels. In Arizona, Democratic state Rep. Cesar Aguilar recently introduced a bill that would ban them altogether. The bill hasn't gotten a hearing, but Aguilar said he's determined to start a conversation about digital labels and how stores could abuse them. "Grocery stores study when people go shopping the most. And so you might be able to see a price go down one day and then go up another day,' Aguilar told The Associated Press. Researchers say those fears are misplaced. A study published in late May found "virtually no surge pricing' before or after electronic shelf labels were adopted. The study was authored by Ioannis Stamatopoulos of the University of Texas, Austin, Robert Evan Sanders of the University of California, San Diego and Robert Bray of Northwestern University. Electronic grocery labels are displayed at a Kroger grocery store, in Monroe, Ohio. — AP The researchers looked at prices between 2019 and 2024 at an unnamed grocery chain that began using digital labels in October 2022. They found that temporary price increases affected 0.005% of products on any given day before electronic shelf labels were introduced, a share that increased by only 0.0006 percentage points after digital labels were installed. The study also determined that discounts were slightly more common after digital labels were introduced. Economists have long wondered why grocery prices don't change more often, according to Stamatopoulos. If bananas are about to expire, for example, it makes sense to lower the price on them. He said the cost of having workers change prices by hand could be one issue. But there's another reason: Shoppers watch grocery prices closely, and stores don't want to risk angering them. "Selling groceries is not selling a couch. It's not a one-time transaction and you will never see them again,' Stamatopoulos said. "You want them coming to the store every week.' Electronic price labels aren't new. They've been in use for more than a decade at groceries in Europe and some US retailers, like Kohl's. But they've been slow to migrate to US grocery stores. Only around 5% to 10% of US supermarkets now have electronic labels, compared to 80% in Europe, said Amanda Oren, vice president of industry strategy for North American grocery at Relex Solutions, a technology company that helps retailers forecast demand. Oren said cost is one issue that has slowed the US rollout. The tiny screens cost between US$5 (RM21) and US$20 (RM84), Oren said, but every product a store sells needs one, and the average supermarket has 100,000 or more individual products. Still, the US industry is charging ahead. Walmart, the nation's largest grocer and retailer, hopes to have digital price labels at 2,300 US stores by 2026. Kroger is expanding the use of digital labels this year after testing them at 20 stores. Whole Foods is testing the labels in nearly 50 stores. Companies say electronic price labels have tremendous advantages. Walmart says it used to take employees two days to change paper price labels on the 120,000 items it has in a typical store. With digital tags, it takes a few minutes. The labels can also be useful. Some have codes shoppers can scan to see recipes or nutrition information. Instacart has a system in thousands of US stores, including Aldi and Schnucks, that flashes a light on the digital tag when Instacart shoppers are nearby to help them find products. Ahold Delhaize's Albert Heijn supermarket chain in the Netherlands and Belgium has been testing an artificial intelligence-enabled tool since 2022 that marks down prices on its digital labels every 15 minutes for products nearing expiration. The system has reduced more than 250 tons of food waste annually, the company said. But Warren and Casey are sceptical. In their letter to Kroger, the US senators noted a partnership with Microsoft that planned to put cameras in grocery aisles and offer personalised deals to shoppers depending on their gender and age. In its response, Kroger said the prices shown on its digital labels were not connected to any sort of facial recognition technology. It also denied surging prices during periods of peak demand. "Kroger's business model is built on a foundation of lowering prices to attract more customers,' the company said. Aguilar, the Arizona lawmaker, said he also opposes the transition to digital labels because he thinks they will cost jobs. His constituents have pointed out that grocery prices keep rising even though there are fewer workers in checkout lanes, he said. "They are supposed to be part of our community, and that means hiring people from our community that fill those jobs," Aguilar said. But Relex Solutions' Oren said she doesn't think cutting labour costs is the main reason stores deploy digital price tags. "It's about working smarter, not harder, and being able to use that labour in better ways across the store rather than these very mundane, repetitive tasks,' she said. – AP
Epoch Times
27-05-2025
- Business
- Epoch Times
Canada's Inflation Rate Falls to 1.7 Percent in April as Carbon Tax Is Lifted
Canada's inflation rate slowed to driven by lower energy prices following the removal of the consumer carbon tax, a ccording to Statistics Canada. The country's inflation rate was at 2.3 percent in March. It fell in April due to a combination of lower energy prices from the carbon tax's removal, decreased oil demand due to U.S. tariffs, and increased oil supplies from the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, StatCan says. Energy prices fell 12.7 percent in April following a 0.3 percent decline in March. Year over year, natural gas prices fell 14.1 percent in April after a 6.4 percent gain in March. While energy prices pushed inflation down in April, food prices grew at a faster pace, rising 3.8 percent year-over-year compared to 3.2 percent in March. The largest contributors to the food price increases were items such as fresh vegetables (3.7 percent), beef (16.2 percent), coffee and tea (13. 4 percent), and sugar (8.6 percent). This marks the third month in a row that grocery price increases have outpaced the overall inflation rate. Restaurant food also rose at a faster pace in April, coming in a 3.6 percent compared to 3.2 percent in March. Canada imposed Loblaws recently Related Stories 5/19/2025 5/17/2025 Shortly after taking office on March 14, Prime Minister Mark Carney signed a directive for the consumer carbon tax rate to be cut to zero. The carbon tax came into effect in 2019 at $20 per tonne, and was set to increase until reaching $170 per tonne in 2030. When removing the consumer carbon tax, Carney said the move would 'make a difference to hard-pressed Canadians.' He previously said the carbon tax had become 'too divisive' among Canadians. In commenting on the news of the inflation rate drop on social media, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre said though the suspension of the carbon tax had brought down inflation, grocery prices were again rising as 'money-printing deficits continue pushing prices higher.' Poilievre and the Conservatives repeatedly called for the carbon tax to be removed throughout 2023 and 2024, arguing that it was raising the cost of food, fuel, and heating. In April, the Bank of Canada Carney has said he will replace the carbon tax with a 'consumer carbon credit market' integrated into Canada's industrial pricing system, which will reward Canadians for making lower-emission choices while making 'big polluters pay' for those incentives. A recent TD Canada The report said the jump in food inflation is a 'setback' for the Bank of Canada and 'complicates' its path forward on monetary policy. The Bank held its core interest rate steady at 2.75 percent in April due to uncertainty around U.S. tariffs, but TD Bank said it expects there will be two more rate cuts this year due to a slowing labour market and Ottawa offering a temporary reprieve on some tariffs.
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
A Softer Choice for Aussie Parents: Millie Moon Luxury Nappies Launches at Woolworths Australia
SYDNEY, May 27, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Parents across Australia can now experience the luxury nappy brand that's taken the US by storm. With over 14,000 five-star reviews from parents and accolades from major parenting publications, Millie Moon Luxury Nappies are now available exclusively at Woolworths. Millie Moon has quickly become a standout in baby care – offering expertly crafted, feather-soft nappies, nappy pants, and baby wipes that combine premium performance with accessible pricing. Designed with CloudTouch™ Softness, Millie Moon nappies are gentle on delicate skin while delivering up to 12 hours of protection thanks to their ultra-absorbent core, double leak guards, and secure high waistband. Designed to be gentle on skin, Millie Moon's range is free from lotions, latex, and fragrance; dermatologically tested; and certified by leading organisations including OEKO-TEX and Dermatest. The brand also features a pH-balanced layer specifically developed for sensitive skin, making it a trusted choice for even the newest arrivals. The excitement around the launch was echoed in a statement from the brand: "Millie Moon was born from a simple belief: that every baby deserves the very best," said Amelia Watson, Head of Marketing, Millie Moon. "We're thrilled to now bring our award-winning nappies to families in Australia with the support of Woolworths." Since launching in 2021, Millie Moon has experienced rapid growth, quickly becoming Target USA's fastest-growing nappy brand and now accounting for 14% of the retailer's total nappy sales. The brand's Canadian expansion via Loblaws and entry into New Zealand further solidified its position as a rising global favourite. Millie Moon products have been recognised with major awards, including the Good Housekeeping Parenting Award and Parents Best for Baby, thanks to their unmatched combination of luxury, performance, and value. Now available on shelves at Woolworths stores nationwide, Millie Moon is set to elevate the Australian nappy aisle. For more information, visit: To shop visit: Millie Moon Woolworths AU About Millie MoonMillie Moon launched in 2021 exclusively at Target in the US and expanded to Loblaws in Canada in 2023. The brand has made it their mission to provide a range of luxury baby products that are expertly crafted, luxuriously soft and designed to perform, all at an affordable price. They are passionate in their belief that every child deserves the best. Their award-winning products are available in over 2,000 stores, in the US, Canada and New Zealand. As a company, they are also proud to partner with local organisations that promote early childhood literacy. For More Information:Nicole Daley / Daley Public Relationsnicole@ / (+1) 415 408 8664 View original content: SOURCE Millie Moon Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
CTV News
15-05-2025
- Business
- CTV News
Loblaws warns customers tariffs will drive up prices on groceries and essentials
Watch CTV's Kamil Karamali reports on the rising tariffs Loblaws says will raise prices on groceries, pantry staples, and health products for Canadians.
CTV News
15-05-2025
- Business
- CTV News
Loblaws, Walmart and other grocers warn of price increases due to U.S. tariffs
Video Kamil Karamali has the latest on the looming price increases on certain products at grocers like Loblaws, No Frills and Walmart.
