The UFCW has endorsed the Stop Price Gouging in Grocery Stores Act. The proposed legislation, introduced by Michigan Representative Rashida Talib, would prohibit price gouging by retail food stores by banning surveillance pricing, with narrow exceptions for things like senior or student discounts; requires food stores to disclose the use of facial recognition technology; prevents electronic shelf labels in large stores; and tasks the Federal Trade Commission with enforcement.

“The UFCW wholeheartedly endorses the Stop Price Gouging in Grocery Stores Act and applauds Congresswoman Tlaib’s leadership on this issue,” said UFCW International President Milton Jones in a statement.

“With the cost of living continuing to rise, the last thing families need is price gouging at the supermarket,” Jones added. “Technologies like electronic shelf tags threaten to usher in a new era where the price of an item you pick up from the shelf can change within the amount of time it takes to walk to the register. Even more concerning, customers could be charged different prices based on personal data like income, race, gender and more. ‘Surveillance pricing’ is deeply unfair, potentially discriminatory, and must be banned. This legislation will protect consumers as well as the hard-working UFCW members who help families put food on the table each time they visit their local grocery store.”