About this episode

Derek Kravitz discusses the implications of dynamic pricing in the grocery industry and its impact on consumers.

  https://media.blubrry.com/counterspin/content.blubrry.com/counterspin/CounterSpin260501.mp3 Right-click here to download this episode (“Save link as…”).   Yahoo Finance ( 4/25/26 ) This week on CounterSpin : A CNN headline a few months back told us that Instacart—which used to call itself a company that delivers groceries, but now, as its CEO told investors , is the “leading technology and enablement partner for the grocery industry”—was now using AI to “Gauge Customer Price Sensitivity.” “Price sensitivity” apparently means whether or not you care that you pay more for the same can of beans as another person—or, to be more clear, whether or not you notice. While some states look into banning it, so-called algorithmic or “dynamic” pricing is being presented by the corporate press as a fait accompli, the only question remaining being how to make sure consumers understand that they have no choice. We’ll hear more from investigative reporter Derek Kravitz, from Consumer Reports . https://media.blubrry.com/counterspin/content.blubrry.com/counterspin/CounterSpin260501Kravitz.mp3   Plus Janine Jackson takes a quick look back at…

People in this episode

Host: Janine Jackson

Guest: Derek Kravitz

Topics covered

• dynamic pricing
• AI
• consumer awareness
• grocery industry
• media coverage

Keywords

• dynamic pricing
• AI
• Instacart
• consumer reports
• price sensitivity
• grocery delivery
• media analysis

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Consumer Reports, Yahoo Finance, CNN

Products: Instacart

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