Seattle recently passed the Fair Pricing and Transparency Ordinance, which prevents large online and brick‑and‑mortar grocery retailers from using consumers' "behavior, location, demographic characteristics, biometric data, or other personal information" to offer consumers distinct prices. The city's announcement touts protections against price manipulation based on social media activity and chatbot conversations.
The ordinance includes carveouts for certain discounts but still prohibits discounts tailored to an individual shopper. Seattle's ban follows similar proposals in Maryland, Connecticut, and New Jersey.
