A woman leaves a grocery in Mississauga, Ont., Thursday, Aug. 15, 2019. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette)
The Manitoba government has introduced proposed measures that would prohibit retailers from using personal data to charge different prices to individual consumers.
Public Service Delivery Minister Mintu Sandhu said the changes to the Business Practices Act are aimed at preventing unfair pricing practices in grocery stores and other retailers.
If passed, Bill 49 would make it illegal for businesses — both in-store and online — to use personalized or algorithm-driven data to increase prices for specific customers. The amendment would also clarify that the act applies to online retailers and distributors.
The province says the move responds to growing concerns that companies could use consumer data to charge higher prices for goods, including groceries, depending on the shopper.
