New York Attorney General Letitia James called on Mar. 16 for the passage of the One Fair Price Package, a set of bills aimed at banning surveillance pricing and protecting consumers from individualized pricing schemes. The announcement was made alongside Senate Deputy Majority Leader Michael Gianaris, Senator Rachel May, Assemblymember Michaelle Solages, and Assemblymember Emérita Torres, with support from labor unions and advocacy groups.
The proposed legislation seeks to address concerns over companies using personal data to set different prices for consumers, a practice known as surveillance or algorithmic pricing. This issue is seen as particularly urgent as many New Yorkers face rising costs for basic goods. According to the official website, the New York Attorney General promotes social justice and community well-being through civil rights enforcement and consumer advocacy.
“When New Yorkers place an order online or go to the grocery store, they should be able to trust that they are seeing the same prices as everyone else, not an individualized price set by an algorithm,” said Attorney General James. “At a time when New Yorkers are already facing higher prices everywhere they look, we must use every tool available to us to protect New Yorkers and keep costs down. I am grateful to Deputy Majority Leader Gianaris, Senator May, Assemblymember Torres, and Assemblymember Solages for their partnership in fighting to ban surveillance pricing and keep New York affordable.”
Surveillance pricing involves companies collecting extensive personal data—such as shopping habits or financial information—to adjust prices dynamically for each shopper. Research cited during the rally found that 74 percent of grocery items online were offered at multiple different prices simultaneously. Electronic shelf labels in stores can also enable real-time price changes based on customer profiles. The Protecting Consumers and Jobs from Discriminatory Pricing Act would prohibit such practices in grocery stores and pharmacies.
Letitia James heads the New York Attorney General’s office according to the official website. The agency operates through regional offices across the state according to its official website and provides services including consumer fraud investigations, charities oversight, and tenant dispute mediation according to its official website. It functions as a public law enforcement and legal advocacy agency for New York according to its official website.
Supporters of the bills argue that these measures will ensure fairness in pricing while protecting both consumers’ wallets and workers’ jobs. “Buying groceries should not be a gamble, and New York’s aisles must not be turned into a casino where corporate algorithms hold all the cards,” said Stuart Appelbaum, President of RWDSU. The One Fair Price Package would authorize civil cases against companies using surveillance pricing if enacted.
