this post was submitted on 29 Apr 2026
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Maryland becomes first state to ban surveillance pricing in grocery stores (www.theguardian.com)
submitted 3 days ago by Powderhorn@beehaw.org to c/technology@beehaw.org
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Maryland has become the first state in the US to ban surveillance pricing in grocery stores.

Maryland’s law bans grocers and third-party delivery services from using a person’s personal data to set higher prices. Wes Moore, the governor, signed the measure into law on Tuesday. “At a time when technology can predict what we need, when we need it, when we’ll pay for it and also – when we’ll pay more for it, and at a time when we’re watching how big companies are then using these analytics against us to make record profits, Maryland is not just pushing back. Maryland is pushing forward because we are going to protect our people,” Moore said at the bill signing ceremony.

When engaging in surveillance pricing, stores rapidly change the cost of products based on consumer data, including their location, internet search history and demographics. That means buyers are paying different prices for the same items purchased around the same time. Critics of this method – also known as dynamic pricing – say that in doing so, businesses are effectively charging each person the most that they’re willing to pay.

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[–] bl4kers@beehaw.org 1 points 3 days ago (1 children)

What?

[–] XLE@piefed.social 8 points 3 days ago (1 children)

In the article.

While the law bans setting higher prices through surveillance pricing, it doesn’t address reducing prices. If a company raises its prices for everyone, and then offers individualized discounts, “suddenly you’ve arrived at the same outcome,” McBrien says.

[–] bl4kers@beehaw.org -1 points 3 days ago (2 children)

That's how it's always been though? If the general price is too high odds are people will look elsewhere, no matter how many great coupons there are. To make the difference you'd have to peddle thousands or hundreds of thousands of individualized discounts and fundamentally change consumer behaviors. Technology that is at odds with how humans function often fails

[–] XLE@piefed.social 9 points 3 days ago

Surveillance pricing hasn't always been, which is why a law targeting it should ban it.

[–] howrar@lemmy.ca 1 points 3 days ago

To make the difference you'd have to peddle thousands or hundreds of thousands of individualized discounts

That's what they do here in Canada.