New Jersey bans grocery stores from using shoppers' personal data to set prices • Jersey Vindicator

Key Points:

• New Jersey has passed the Fair Price Protection Act, effective August 1, 2027, banning grocery stores from using shoppers' personal data such as digital history, biometrics, or genetic information to set individualized prices, a practice known as surveillance pricing.
• The law allows the state attorney general and consumers to sue businesses violating the ban, with penalties including fines up to $10,000 for first offenses, potential refunds, and loss of permits; it also imposes a one-year pause on electronic shelf labels while their impact is studied.
• The legislation does not prohibit dynamic pricing based on demand or discounts through loyalty programs, explicitly protecting traditional promotions from the ban.
• Supporters argue the law protects consumers from unfair price discrimination amid rising grocery costs, while opponents warn it could hinder loyalty programs and operational efficiency for grocery stores.
• New Jersey becomes the third state to ban grocery surveillance pricing, joining Maryland and Connecticut, with similar laws under consideration in other states; the bill signing followed the recent enactment of another law limiting algorithmic rent recommendations.