A practice known as surveillance pricing — in which people are charged different prices for the same things, based on personal data — has been used to increase prices for everything from ride shares to plane tickets to health care. Shoppers have also figured out that online grocery delivery services may charge some people more than others for the same items.
With rising food prices straining budgets across the country, especially in high-cost cities like New York, local lawmakers are taking action.
On Thursday, Julie Menin, the City Council speaker, and Shaun Abreu, a councilman from northern Manhattan, will each introduce bills geared toward curtailing these practices.
Ms. Menin’s bill would broadly ban surveillance pricing within the five boroughs, while Mr. Abreu’s measure would prevent dynamic pricing by restricting retail food stores, such as grocery stores and bodegas, from raising prices more than once in a 24-hour period.
“It’s actually hard to detect if you’re the victim of surveillance pricing,” Ms. Menin said. “Which then makes it more imperative than ever that we legislate this practice, because this is very difficult to detect for consumers.”
The city legislation follows the state-level One Fair Price Package, which includes a bill that would, with some exceptions, ban surveillance pricing online and in stores. It is expected to pass before the end of the legislative session. The package has the strong support of the state’s attorney general, Letitia James.
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