Consumer anxiety grows as US retailers adopt AI-assisted pricing tools

US retailers are increasingly using electronic shelf labels and AI tools to set prices, fueling consumer suspicion about dynamic and personalized pricing. Lawmakers in at least 30 states are weighing pricing bills, and the FTC has proposed an enforcement policy on disclosing personal data used for individualized prices.

• Lawmakers in at least 30 states are considering pricing bills in 2026
• FTC proposed policy: undisclosed use of personal data for pricing may break law
• Walmart says it prices "the product, not the person"
• Maryland, New Jersey and Connecticut have enacted personalized-pricing limits