Maryland Governor Pushes Bill to Ban Dynamic Grocery Pricing

Legislation aims to prevent price gouging and individualized pricing based on customer data

Published on Mar. 4, 2026

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Maryland Governor Wes Moore is urging a state House committee to advance a bill that would ban dynamic pricing at grocery stores. The legislation targets the use of AI, surveillance data, and electronic price tags to change prices hourly based on demand. Moore argues this practice can lead to price gouging and exploitation of shoppers. The bill would require grocery prices to stay fixed for at least one business day and prohibit the use of customer data to set individualized prices.

Why it matters

Dynamic pricing, while common in industries like ride-sharing and airlines, raises concerns when applied to essential goods like groceries. The governor argues this practice could harm average consumers by allowing grocers to charge higher prices based on real-time data about individual shoppers' purchasing habits and demand.

The details

The proposed legislation would prohibit grocery stores from using surveillance data and automated systems to set individualized prices that change by the minute. Violations would be handled as unfair or deceptive trade practices by the Maryland Attorney General's office. The bill includes carve-outs to allow for loyalty programs, but the governor argues the core intent is to prevent grocers from "weaponizing data to exploit shoppers."

  • The House committee hearing on the bill took place on Tuesday, March 4, 2026.
  • To date, no grocery stores in Maryland have implemented dynamic pricing.

The players

Wes Moore

The Governor of Maryland who is proposing the legislation to ban dynamic pricing in grocery stores.

Jesse Pippy

The Republican House Minority Whip in Frederick County, Maryland who questioned the potential impact on grocery loyalty programs.

Linda Fields

A Maryland shopper who expressed concern about grocers' ability to raise prices at will.

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What they’re saying

“It's just simply saying that supermarkets should not be able to change their prices by the minute, and they should not be able to change their prices based on who the consumer is on that individualized basis.”

— Wes Moore, Governor of Maryland (wbal.com)

“I don't think that's right that they can raise prices whenever they want to.”

— Linda Fields, Shopper (wbal.com)

What’s next

The House committee will decide whether to advance the governor's bill to ban dynamic pricing in grocery stores.

The takeaway

This legislation aims to protect Maryland consumers from the potential harms of dynamic pricing in the grocery industry, where real-time data and automated systems could be used to charge higher prices based on individual shoppers' habits and demand. The outcome could set an important precedent for how states approach this emerging retail practice.