Supermarkets are increasingly using information from customers shopping habits to determine the price of products and discounts on offer.
Consumer journalist Caitríona Redmond told RTÉ's Behind the Story that the growth in electronic price labels on shelves and artificial intelligence means how we do the weekly food shop is changing.
"It means that supermarkets can change these prices, literally, at the tap of a button," she said. "That enables things like flash pricing and dynamic pricing."
And while dynamic pricing is not in place in Ireland yet, she says new technologies mean it could be used in the future.
Ms Redmond said Tesco teaming up with technology firm Adobe in the UK, to examine their pricing system and the offers they give, will "rapidly increase the chances of it happening in Ireland in the next year".
Loyalty card schemes
Ms Redmond explained how it comes down to loyalty cards and "giving away data for cheaper prices".
She said there have also been cases in the US where expectant parents are sent out targeted marketing based on "spending patterns and buying patterns".
"That’s an example of why we need to aware of what we’re doing, and how much of our data we’re sharing in return for the discounted supermarket shopping," she explained.
"The advent of AI across retail has been that most retailers are in a position now where they can’t afford not to use it."
Ms Redmond said people could ultimately receive "personalised, individualised offers" on their devices as retailers adapt to AI technology.
"It may come in the future when people could be listening to this podcast and receive individualised adverts based on the data that has been processed in the retailer."
Flood Predictor
Environment Correspondent George Lee also joins Fran McNulty to talk about a new flood prediction system, which has been designed by an innovation consultant.
The app contains a free interactive flood intelligence map with access to coastal surge data and real-time gauge readings.
The predictor works by combining publicly-available real-time weather, soil moisture and river gauge data with artificial intelligence, machine learning and computer programming.
You can listen to Behind the Story on the RTÉ Radio Player.
You can also find episodes on Apple here, or on Spotify here.
