Seattle City Council Passes Bill Banning Personalized Grocery Pricing

Seattle Bans Personalized Grocery Pricing

The Seattle City Council has passed the Fair Pricing and Transparency Act (CB 121267), a new law that prohibits personalized pricing in the sale of groceries and other essential items. This legislation prevents retailers from using a consumer's personal data, such as web-browsing history, real-time location, income inferences, or health conditions, to alter the prices they see.

The bill now awaits the signature of Mayor Wilson. If signed, Seattle will become the first city in the United States to implement such a prohibition on surveillance pricing tactics.

Impact on Consumer Data Use

The new act specifically targets the practice of dynamic pricing based on individual consumer profiles. While it bans personalized pricing, it still permits a wide range of discounting practices. The legislation also mandates increased transparency regarding discounts and places certain limitations on how consumer data can be profiled by retailers.

Background and Precedent

Consumer Reports supported the legislation, providing technical assistance throughout its development. Other states, including Maryland, Connecticut, and New Jersey, have also taken steps to ban surveillance pricing. Investigations by Consumer Reports in 2025 highlighted concerns about consumer data practices, such as Kroger collecting extensive data profiles and Instacart quoting different prices for the same products to different shoppers simultaneously.