Governor Wes Moore used a visit to BD Provisions to roll out a 2026 General Assembly proposal aimed at stopping what his administration calls “dynamic pricing” and “surveillance pricing” in Maryland grocery stores. The Maryland Retailers Alliance quickly pushed back, arguing the bill is built on a misunderstanding of how grocery pricing works and could create higher costs for consumers.
What The Governor Is Proposing
Moore announced the Protection from Predatory Pricing Act as part of his legislative agenda, saying the goal is to keep grocery pricing predictable and to block the use of consumer surveillance data to tailor prices to individuals.
“Marylanders deserve to know that the price they see on the shelf is the price they will pay at the register,” said Gov. Moore. “Our Administration is laser-focused on protecting Marylanders from skyrocketing costs. At a time when Marylanders are already stretched by the rising cost of groceries, housing, and everyday necessities, we must ensure that new technologies are not used to drive up the bill for working families.”
The proposal targets the growing use of electronic shelf labels, which allow stores to change prices quickly. The bill would require grocery store prices to remain fixed for at least 1 business day and would prohibit using “surveillance data” in automated systems to set individualized prices. Violations would be treated as unfair or deceptive trade practices under the Maryland Consumer Protection Act, enforced by the Office of the Attorney General, with civil penalties of up to $10,000 for a first offense and up to $25,000 for later offenses…