To the Members of the Mississippi House of Representatives and the Mississippi State Senate: 

We, the undersigned residents of Mississippi, respectfully urge you to introduce and pass legislation that prohibits dynamic, customized, and algorithmic pricing—also known as personalized or surveillance pricing—especially for groceries, food staples, and health or wellness supplies. 

Working families across our state are already struggling with consistent price increases, particularly on meat and other everyday food items. Middle-class households living paycheck to paycheck find it increasingly difficult to afford basic necessities. It is fundamentally unfair for retailers to charge different people different prices for the exact same item based on personal data such as inferred income, location, browsing history, race, or any other characteristic—or simply because an algorithm determines they can extract a higher price. 

Investigations have documented real-world impacts of these practices. A 2025 Consumer Reports and Groundwork Collaborative study found that nearly three-quarters of tested grocery items on a major delivery platform were shown at different prices to different shoppers for the identical product from the same store at the same time, with differences averaging 13% and reaching as high as 23%. Researchers estimated these variations could cost a typical household of four about $1,200 more per year. Public opinion strongly supports action: recent national polling shows roughly three-quarters of Americans favor banning the use of personal data to set different prices for the same item, and about 80% believe every customer should pay the same price for the same product. 

Essential goods like food and health supplies should not be subject to hidden price discrimination. When two shoppers standing in the same store, or ordering from the same platform at the same time, can be shown different prices for identical products, trust in the marketplace erodes and the cost of living rises for those least able to absorb it.Other states have already acted to protect consumers. Maryland became the first state to ban the use of personal data to set individualized prices on groceries, and New Jersey has enacted a similar prohibition. Mississippi should follow their lead.We call on the Mississippi Legislature to enact a clear statewide ban on the use of personal data or algorithms to set individualized prices for groceries, food items, and health or wellness products sold in retail stores or through delivery platforms. This protection should apply equally to all consumers and help ensure that necessary items remain fairly and transparently priced. 

Mississippi families deserve predictable, equitable pricing on the goods they need most. Passing this legislation would be an important step toward greater affordability and fairness in our state, and it could serve as a model for similar protections nationwide.We respectfully request that you act on this issue in the current or upcoming legislative session. 

Sincerely,
The Undersigned