New Jersey bans grocery stores from using shoppers’ personal data to set prices - The Jersey Vindicator

What the report says

The Jersey Vindicator reported that New Jersey has enacted the Fair Price Protection Act, a law aimed at stopping grocery stores from using shoppers’ personal information to charge different prices for the same essential goods. Gov. Mikie Sherrill signed the bill Thursday at Our Community Grocery Store in Newark, joined by lawmakers and advocates including Sen. Joseph Cryan, Assemblyman Chigozie Onyema, Henal Patel of the New Jersey Institute for Social Justice, and UFCW International Vice President Ademola Oyefeso.

According to the report, the law takes effect Aug. 1, 2027, and bars grocers from using digital behavior, biometric details or genetic information to determine individualized prices through what supporters call “surveillance pricing.” The measure allows the state attorney general or consumers to bring lawsuits. Businesses found in violation could face refunds, permit consequences and penalties of up to $10,000 for an initial violation and $20,000 for later ones under the state Consumer Fraud Act.

The law does not prohibit ordinary discounts, promotions, loyalty programs or broader dynamic pricing based on demand. It also places a one-year hold on electronic shelf labels while New Jersey studies whether the technology could make unfair pricing easier. Supporters framed the measure as a consumer protection step at a time of elevated grocery costs and growing use of algorithms in retail.

Business groups raised concerns that the law could create compliance burdens or discourage customer-specific savings programs, even though the statute exempts promotions and loyalty discounts. The Jersey Vindicator reported that New Jersey is the third state to ban grocery surveillance pricing, after Maryland and Connecticut, with similar efforts pending or debated in other states.