Sponsors (87)
The bill strengthens consumer privacy and prevents surveillance-based and grossly excessive grocery pricing while clarifying enforcement, but it imposes compliance costs, reduces some forms of personalized savings and pricing agility, and creates legal and operational uncertainty that could raise prices or slow technology adoption.
All consumers gain legal protection against surveillance-based, individualized price discrimination at retail food stores because the Act defines 'surveillance-based price setting' and bars pricing based on personal data.
Low- and middle-income shoppers are protected from 'grossly excessive' pricing for food items, which could lower or prevent spikes in essential grocery costs.
Shoppers get stronger controls and transparency over biometrics and facial recognition: biometric identity checks require clear written notice and consent, and stores must disclose facial recognition use so consumers can avoid or take precautions.
Multi-state and local retailers (and ultimately shoppers) face materially higher compliance costs — changing pricing systems, producing signage, printing physical labels, and altering data practices — which are likely to be passed on to consumers as higher prices.
Some consumers — especially low-income shoppers, students, and others who benefited from targeted coupons or app-based personalized deals — could lose access to personalized discounts if firms stop offering targeted pricing to avoid regulatory risks.
Ambiguous standards, broad data definitions, and new FTC rulemaking/enforcement obligations create legal uncertainty and administrative burdens for businesses and regulators, risking uneven enforcement and litigation.
Based on analysis of 9 sections of legislative text.
Bans grossly excessive and surveillance-based individualized pricing in physical grocery stores, requires facial-recognition notice, bans digital shelf labels in large stores, and enables FTC, state, and private enforcement.
Introduced August 12, 2025 by Rashida Tlaib · Last progress August 12, 2025
Prohibits grocery stores from charging "grossly excessive" prices for items and from using surveillance-driven individualized pricing based on consumers' personal data (including facial recognition). Requires clear store signage if facial recognition is used, bans digital shelf labels in large stores (over 10,000 sq ft), directs the FTC to write rules (including a suggested 120% market-average bright line for excess pricing), creates FTC enforcement authority plus state and private lawsuits, and provides $5 million for implementation.