New Jersey S3952 / A3929 — Fair Pricing and Transparency Act (Surveillance Grocery Pricing Ban)
NJ · N.J. S3952 / A3929 (222nd Legislature, 2026) — signed July 23, 2026; effective July 23, 2027
Governor Meredith Sherrill signed New Jersey S3952/A3929, the Fair Pricing and Transparency Act, on July 23, 2026, making New Jersey the third state to ban surveillance-based grocery pricing, following Maryland and Connecticut. The law prohibits retail food stores from setting individualized prices based on a customer's personal data, purchasing history, or tracked attributes. It also imposes a one-year moratorium on electronic shelf labels (ESLs). Effective July 23, 2027. Notably, the law includes a private right of action for injured consumers — the first state surveillance-pricing law to do so.
Technical detail
N.J. S3952/A3929 (222nd Legislature, 2026) — Fair Pricing and Transparency Act: (1) prohibits retail food stores from charging individualized prices based on customer personal data, purchasing history, biometric data, or other surveillance-derived attributes; (2) imposes a one-year moratorium on implementation of electronic shelf label (ESL) systems; (3) requires pricing transparency disclosures; (4) private right of action for aggrieved consumers; (5) enforcement by New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs. Senate vote 22-14 (June 30, 2026); Assembly vote 51-20-1 (June 30, 2026). Signed by Governor Sherrill July 23, 2026. Effective date: July 23, 2027 (one year after signing). Follows Maryland HB 895 Predatory Pricing Act and Connecticut HB 8002; first state surveillance-pricing ban with an explicit private right of action.
Who is protected: New Jersey consumers shopping at retail food stores
Who must comply: Retail food stores (grocers, supermarkets) operating in New Jersey using or planning to use personalized pricing systems
Key facts
| Jurisdiction | NJ |
|---|---|
| Level | State |
| Status | Enacted (not yet in effect) |
| Protection strength | Moderate protection |
| Effective date | 2027-07-23 |
| Enacted | 2026-07-23 |
| Citation | N.J. S3952 / A3929 (222nd Legislature, 2026) — signed July 23, 2026; effective July 23, 2027 |
| Enforced by | New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs |
| Private right of action | Yes — individuals can sue |
| Topics | consumer protection · automated decision-making · AI disclosure and transparency · consumer data privacy |
| Last verified | 2026-08-09 |
| Official source | Governor Sherrill Signs Fair Pricing and Transparency Act — NJ Governor's Office Press Release (July 23, 2026) ↗ |
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