Walmart has reiterated its commitment not to use artificial intelligence, customer data, or digital shelf labels to set personalized prices for shoppers, following public criticism from Lindsay Owens, author of the book 'Gouged' and President and CEO of Groundwork Collaborative [1]. In a public letter, Dan Bartlett, Walmart's executive vice president of corporate affairs, addressed what he described as repeated 'mischaracterizations' of Walmart's pricing practices and technology use by Owens [1]. Bartlett stated, 'We price products, not people,' and emphasized that Walmart does not and will not use individual customer information, income, shopping history, urgency, or willingness to pay to set individualized prices. He also clarified that Walmart does not engage in dynamic pricing, such as raising prices in response to weather events [1].
Bartlett defended the use of digital shelf labels, explaining that these replace paper tags and allow for more efficient and consistent price changes, but do not identify customers or independently set prices [1]. He further argued that Walmart's patents are not evidence of plans to pursue personalized or dynamic pricing, stating, 'We do not and have committed not to' [1]. Addressing concerns about Sparky, Walmart's AI-powered shopping assistant, Bartlett rejected claims that the technology is used to upcharge customers or encourage higher spending, noting that higher average order values among Sparky users do not prove causation or price increases for individual items [1]. He added that information shared with Sparky is not used to alter the prices customers pay [1].
In response, Owens maintained that confusion around Walmart's pricing practices is due to the company's own actions, alleging inconsistencies in Walmart's communications to customers, investors, and the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office [1]. Owens announced that her organization is releasing a new analysis of Walmart patents, suggesting ongoing scrutiny of the retailer's technology and pricing strategies [1].
No specific market reactions, analyst opinions, or forward-looking statements regarding Walmart's stock or financial performance were mentioned in the article [1].
CONCLUSION
Walmart has publicly reaffirmed its stance against AI-powered personalized pricing, directly addressing criticism and clarifying its technology practices. While the company faces ongoing scrutiny from advocacy groups, no evidence was presented that Walmart currently uses or plans to use individualized or dynamic pricing. The market impact appears moderate, with no immediate financial implications discussed.