On April 28, 2026, Governor Wes Moore of Maryland has signed into law the nation’s most aggressive state law aimed at so-called “surveillance pricing” and algorithmic price-setting. House Bill 895, titled the Protection From Predatory Pricing Act, will become effective on October 1, 2026. It restricts the use of personalized pricing, consumer data-driven pricing, and certain AI-enabled pricing practices, particularly in the food retail (operating establishments of at least 15,000 square feet) and delivery sectors.… Continue Reading

As part of its junk fees initiative, the CFPB released a new report, “Price Complexity in Laboratory Markets.”  In its press release about the report, the CFPB states that because it “suggests consumers tend to pay more for products that have more complex pricing structures,” the report “has implications for understanding how junk fees impede fair and competitive pricing in markets like auto loans or mortgages, where consumers have to evaluate extended warranties, add-ons, closing costs, and a wide variety of other fees instead of an all-inclusive price.” … Continue Reading