Maplebear (US:CART) Youtube·2025-12-15 17:45Core Viewpoint - A new report indicates that Instacart's AI technology allows for price discrimination among shoppers, prompting lawmakers to propose the One Fair Price Act to make this practice illegal [1] Group 1: Price Discrimination - The study found that shoppers at various stores, including Target, Kroger, and Costco, experienced price differences of up to 23% [1] - This price variation could potentially add $1,200 to a family's annual grocery bill [2] - An example from a Target store in Ohio showed one customer charged $2.99 for peanut butter while another was charged $3.59, reflecting a price increase of over 20% [2] Group 2: Industry Response - An Instacart spokesperson stated that their pricing tests are short-term and help retail partners understand consumer preferences [3] - Consumer Reports and Groundwork Collaborative criticized this pricing strategy, suggesting it leads to higher prices and could become widespread [3] - Many grocery retailers in the U.S. are transitioning to electronic shelf labels, which could facilitate dynamic pricing strategies [4] Group 3: Future Implications - Walmart plans to eliminate traditional price labels in favor of electronic shelf labels by the end of next year, which could enable more sophisticated pricing experiments [4] - The use of AI in pricing could lead to fluctuations in grocery prices in real-time, affecting consumer purchasing behavior [5]