The bill also permits a vast array of discounting practices while requiring increased transparency around discounts and placing some limitations on how consumers can be profiled.Shutterstock
The Seattle City Council on Tuesday passed the Fair Pricing and Transparency Act (CB 121267), groundbreaking legislation that would prohibit personalized pricing in the sale of groceries.
This bill, which is the first of its kind to pass at the city level, would prohibit the use of a consumer's personal data to change the price they see for groceries and other essential items. This includes, for example, data about a consumer's web-browsing history, their real-time location, inferences about their income, family size, health conditions and more. The bill also permits a vast array of discounting practices while requiring increased transparency around discounts and placing some limitations on how consumers can be profiled.
Seattle joins three states that have laws in place to prevent surveillance pricing. Maryland, New Jersey and Connecticut have all passed legislation against the practice.
UFCW 3000 applauded the move, stating Seattle is now home to the strongest ban on surveillance pricing ...