Overview
- The Protection from Predatory Pricing Act would prohibit dynamic pricing and individualized prices derived from surveillance data in grocery stores.
- Prices would have to remain fixed for at least one business day to prevent rapid, algorithmic changes.
- Violations would be treated as unfair or deceptive trade practices under the Maryland Consumer Protection Act.
- Penalties would include fines of up to $10,000 for a first offense and $25,000 for subsequent violations.
- Gov. Wes Moore said there is concrete evidence of such pricing in Maryland but did not identify specific retailers, and the proposal builds on the 2024 Maryland Online Data Privacy Act as electronic shelf labels proliferate.