Groundwork Collaborative’s “Shoppers’ Bill of Rights” is a 12-part advocacy proposal—not a law Congress has passed. It calls for more predictable prices and limits on practices such as personalized pricing, while also addressing cancellations, repairs, refunds, billing, and other parts of digital commerce.
What is the Shoppers’ Bill of Rights?
Groundwork Collaborative unveiled the proposal on September 28, 2026. It asks for 12 consumer protections spanning online and in-store shopping. Groundwork President and CEO Lindsay Owens said, “Shoppers shouldn’t have to outsmart an algorithm, decode the fine print, or fight their way out of a subscription just to get a fair deal.” Groundwork Collaborative presents the agenda as a response to changes in how prices and shopping services are delivered.
The proposal is not a single enacted federal law, and its requested protections are not all current legal requirements. Groundwork’s announcement reports Blue Rose Research polling showing two-thirds of Americans support the proposal, nearly 75% support making subscription cancellation as easy as signup, nearly seven in ten support upfront all-in pricing, and 65% support banning surveillance pricing. The announcement does not provide field dates, sample size, or methodology, so these figures should be read as the organization’s account of polling, not as independently verified national estimates.
What would the 12 proposed rights cover?
Groundwork’s list seeks protections in these areas:
The Tool Desk
Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →#1 Best Overall
- Prices that include mandatory fees.
- Fair prices not set using personal data.
- Predictable prices.
- Easy subscription cancellation.
- Access to repair parts, tools, software, and manuals.
- AI shopping assistants that act in shoppers’ interests.
- Fair resale practices.
- A level playing field for small businesses.
- Unit-price comparisons.
- Fair refunds.
- Proper billing.
- Competitive prices not coordinated through shared pricing software.
The pricing provisions are only one part of the agenda; the proposal also reaches product repair, competition, automated shopping tools, and routine consumer transactions.
Dynamic pricing and surveillance pricing are different
Dynamic pricing changes a price in response to factors such as demand or inventory. The same product’s price may rise or fall for shoppers generally as market conditions change.
Rank #2
- Ideal for Gifting
- Ideal for a bookworm
- Compact for travelling
Surveillance pricing, also called personalized pricing, uses personal data or inferences about an individual shopper to set that person’s price. The two practices can overlap in public debate, but they are not synonyms: a changing price does not by itself show that a seller used an individual’s data.
Groundwork argues that shoppers often cannot tell whether a sudden increase reflects scarcity, changing costs, or an algorithmic pricing decision. Its report does not claim every price fluctuation is abusive: it acknowledges that changes may reflect costs, preferences, or other market factors. It objects to arbitrary or high-frequency changes and states, “Prices should not shift arbitrarily nor at a high frequency.” That is the proposal’s language, not a legal standard.
Recommended Free Tools
How the proposal treats essentials and scarce goods
Groundwork advocates banning dynamic pricing for essentials such as groceries and medical supplies. For scarce nonessential goods, it would allow more flexibility if price tiers and changes are predictable and transparent. This is a policy recommendation, not a description of a nationwide rule in force.
Electronic shelf labels do not prove personalized pricing
Electronic shelf labels are displays that can show updated prices. Their presence establishes that a store has technology capable of changing displayed prices; it does not establish that the retailer changes prices frequently, ties prices to an individual shopper, or has raised prices at all. To assess a particular price change, look at what changed, when it changed, and whether the price was linked to market conditions or personal data.
Rank #4
What federal rules currently say about fees and personalized pricing
Dynamic prices and mandatory fees
The FTC’s Rule on Unfair or Deceptive Fees FAQ says businesses may use dynamic pricing based on demand or inventory when the pricing information is not misleading. In covered contexts, mandatory fees generally must be included in the displayed total price, and the final amount must be shown before payment. This fee rule does not establish Groundwork’s proposed limits on how frequently prices may change.
The FTC’s August 2026 statement was a draft, not a ban
On August 19, 2026, the FTC announced a proposed enforcement policy statement on personalized pricing; the agency updated the release on August 31 to correct an earlier error. The draft said undisclosed use of personal data to set prices could violate existing law. FTC Chairman Andrew Ferguson also said the agency lacks authority to ban personalized pricing in all circumstances. The draft comment deadline was September 18, 2026, so it should not be described as a final regulation or a categorical federal prohibition. FTC announcement
Best Value
- It can be a gift option
- Comes with secure packaging
- Helpful in various ways
Related bills have separate legislative status
Other proposals address related pricing concerns, but they are distinct from Groundwork’s agenda and have their own status:
- Federal H.R. 9371: The Shedding Light on Algorithms Setting Higher Prices Act was introduced in the 119th Congress on June 18, 2026, and referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. The Congressional record identifies it as an introduced bill.
- New York S8623: A June 5, 2026, release from the New York State Senate says the Senate passed the proposal to prohibit surveillance pricing. The release’s related-legislation status showed Assembly action as pending; it does not establish that the measure became state law.
How to assess a changing price as a shopper
There is no single clue that proves a price change is fair, unlawful, or based on personal data. These questions help separate the issues raised by Groundwork’s proposal and FTC guidance; they are analytical prompts, not a formal legal test.
- What appears to drive the change? A market-wide shift tied to demand or inventory differs from a price set using an individual’s data or inferred willingness to pay.
- Is the item essential or genuinely scarce? The proposal calls for stronger restrictions on essentials and more flexibility for scarce nonessential goods.
- When can the price change? Note how often it moves and whether it changes before you commit or after you have begun checkout.
- Is the full price clear? Check whether mandatory fees are included in the displayed total in a covered transaction and whether the final amount is shown before payment.
- Are discounts governed by clear rules? A publicly stated discount with defined eligibility is different from an offer tailored through individual profiling.
These distinctions can help identify what information is missing, but a price movement or electronic label alone does not establish the retailer’s method.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors
