Making the Gut Punch of Inflation Personalized Just for You
Californians have suffered through a troubling period of rising consumer costs, commonly referred to as inflation. Over the past three years — June 2023 to June 2026 — consumer prices have risen about 9.5% cumulatively. If you are eager to blame bad government monetary policies, you might want to check in on the latest exploits of AI and big Tech companies. The pricing technology and market power of large retailers increasingly outmatch shoppers. Two recent developments show how these tools can drive up the cost of everyday goods.
Maryland is set to become the first state to ban dynamic pricing in grocery stores. The Protection from Predatory Pricing Act, championed by Governor Wes Moore, targets the practice of adjusting prices in real time based on demand, time of day, or personal data gathered through loyalty apps and electronic shelf labels. Once signed, the law will require prices to stay fixed for at least one business day. Questions remain, however, about loopholes and enforcement.
In California, the Attorney General's office has released unredacted evidence in the state's 2022 antitrust suit against Amazon. California alleges the company illegally fixed prices by pressuring vendors and major competitors—including Target, Walmart, Chewy, Best Buy, and Home Depot—to raise prices or pull discounted products from rival platforms, protecting Amazon's margins at consumers' expense. The report called the conduct “strong-arm tactics” that stifle fair pricing amid broader affordability struggles. A preliminary injunction hearing is set for July, with trial scheduled for January 2027.
Together, these cases point to a troubling pattern: new technology and market dominance allow retailers to manipulate prices quietly, and consumers foot the bill. Two people look at the same thing but get two different prices.
Assemblymember Chris Ward (D-San Diego) introduced AB 2564 on February 20, 2026, targeting "surveillance pricing" — the use of consumers' personal data (age, gender, location, browsing history, etc.) to charge individualized prices. Ward's efforts and Maryland's ban and California's lawsuit are real progress. Still, they underscore how much sustained consumer protection oversight it will take to keep "new" innovations working for the public rather than against it.
