Gov. Sherrill signs New Jersey ban on surveillance pricing
The new law prohibits retailers from using shoppers' online activity to set individualized prices, a practice the governor says unfairly increases costs for consumers.
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Gov. Mikie Sherrill signed legislation Thursday banning surveillance pricing in New Jersey, saying the practice unfairly allows retailers to charge shoppers different prices based on their online activity.
Speaking at a community grocery store in Newark, Sherrill said the new law will make the practice illegal statewide.
Surveillance pricing refers to the use of algorithms by grocery stores and other retailers to analyze consumers’ online searches and shopping history to determine what they may be willing to pay. The result, according to supporters of the law, is that some shoppers pay more than others for the same food and household items.
The governor said the measure comes as families continue to face high food and fuel costs.
“Surveillance pricing essentially gives Big Brother a look into your shopping cart. It’s incredibly invasive and it’s expensive,” Sherrill said. “Over the course of a year, a family could spend $1,200 more for the very same groceries just because of an invisible algorithm. That’s just wrong. People deserve privacy, they deserve fair prices.”
Sherrill also said many families are paying more for grocery staples, including beef, steak and vegetables. She blamed White House tariffs for contributing to those higher prices.
