New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill signed the Fair Price Protection Act into law, establishing restrictions on businesses’ ability to use personal consumer information to set individualized prices. The legislation prohibits retailers from leveraging data such as online activity, location history, and previous purchases to charge different amounts to different customers for identical products.
Sherrill characterized the measure as a consumer protection initiative, stating that the law prioritizes shoppers by preventing companies from using personal data to charge higher prices to some consumers than others. The governor framed the issue as part of broader cost-of-living concerns facing residents in the state.
New Jersey becomes the third state to enact such restrictions, following Maryland and Connecticut, which have implemented similar bans on surveillance pricing. A comparable bill remains pending gubernatorial signature in New York. The New Jersey law specifically applies to groceries and other essential items, though it exempts loyalty programs and other conventional discount mechanisms.
The legislation also includes a one-year pause on the deployment of new electronic shelf labels while state authorities conduct research into their effects. Existing electronic shelf labels may continue operating, undergoing repairs, or being replaced under current rules. Ademola Oyefeso, a labor union official, endorsed the moratorium on new electronic shelf label technology, describing it as a measure to protect both consumers and workers in the grocery industry. Oyefeso expressed hope that the law would encourage other states to adopt similar protections against what she characterized as artificial intelligence-driven pricing practices.
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