Digital shelf labels, also called DSLs, are beginning to change the way prices appear in some retail stores. Unlike paper tags, the electronic labels can be updated quickly, allowing a store to change prices across shelves without employees replacing individual tags.
For many rural residents and smalltown shoppers, the issue may seem distant. Fortunately, local stores including Ray’s Apple Market and Adams Homestore are not using this technology. However, digital shelf labels are already appearing in larger retail markets, and a shopping trip to Manhattan, Emporia or other regional shopping areas may be enough to see the type of electronic labels now drawing national attention.
Supporters say the technology saves labor, improves accuracy and makes it easier to keep prices current. Consumer advocates, however, warn that the same technology could allow prices to change more often, and potentially in ways shoppers may not fully understand.
The concern is not only that prices could rise or fall during the day. The larger issue is whether digital labels could be paired with shopper data, loyalty accounts, purchasing history or other information to create “dynamic” or “personalized” pricing. In that scenario, two shoppers could potentially see or be offered different prices for the same item, depending on what a retailer’s computer system predicts each person may be willing to pay.
Maryland has moved to address that concern through legislation aimed at surveillance pricing in grocery stores. The law, expected to take effect Oct. 1, 2026, requires large grocery retailers to keep prices fixed for at least one business day and prohibits them from using factors such as shopping history, income or other surveillance data to charge different customers different prices at the same time.
The law still allows loyalty programs and promotions, which consumer advocates say could leave room for pricing differences between members and non-members. Enforcement also would rest with the Maryland Attorney General, rather than individual shoppers.
The question for consumers is whether digital shelf labels will simply replace paper price tags, or whether they will become part of a broader pricing system that changes what shoppers pay based on data, timing or buying habits. As more stores adopt the technology, lawmakers and consumers are beginning to ask how much pricing flexibility is reasonable, and how much transparency shoppers should expect at the shelf.