Maryland moves to ban surveillance pricing in grocery stores
Fox News • • business
Key Points:
- Maryland will become the first U.S. state to ban surveillance pricing in grocery stores and certain delivery platforms, with the Protection from Predatory Pricing Act taking effect on October 1, 2026.
- Surveillance pricing uses data about individual shoppers, such as browsing habits and income, to set personalized prices, often based on inaccurate profiles, leading to unfair price disparities.
- The new Maryland law requires prices to remain fixed for a full business day and prohibits using personal data like ethnicity or income to set different prices for customers simultaneously, though loyalty programs and promotions are exempt.
- Other states including California, Colorado, Illinois, New Jersey, and New York are considering or have enacted similar legislation, signaling growing momentum to regulate dynamic pricing in groceries.
- Critics note the Maryland law’s enforcement is limited, with only the Attorney General able to sue violators and relatively low fines, while exemptions for loyalty programs could still allow discriminatory pricing practices.
