Lower Grocery Prices Act

Protection against customized pricing: The bill prohibits surveillance-based price setting, which prevents businesses from using automated systems to offer customized prices based on personal surveillance data (Section 2(a)(1)).

Preservation of existing discounts: The act ensures that consumers can still access discounts offered to specific groups like teachers, veterans, senior citizens, or students, provided they meet disclosed criteria (Section 2(a)(1)(B)).

Maintains loyalty program benefits: Consumers can still benefit from discounts offered through loyalty, membership, or rewards programs they have affirmatively joined (Section 2(a)(1)(C)).

Increased transparency: The bill requires businesses to make available procedures that include how data is considered by automated systems and a process for consumers to challenge data accuracy (Section 2(a)(3)).

Consumer recourse through legal action: The bill provides a private right of action, allowing injured individuals to seek injunctions or monetary damages of at least $3,000 per violation (Section 2(d)(1)).

State-level protections: State Attorneys General are empowered to bring civil actions to protect residents from these practices (Section 2(c)(1)).

Requirement to publish procedures: Businesses must make their automated decision-making procedures public at least 180 days before engaging in certain actions, which includes disclosing data usage and accuracy processes (Section 2(a)(3)).

Strict conditions for rewards: To avoid being classified as prohibited surveillance-based price setting, any reward or discount must be offered uniformly to all who meet the disclosed criteria (Section 2(a)(2)(B)).