Could Montana Shoppers Eventually Pay Different Grocery Prices?

Most of us probably never expected “surveillance pricing” to become a common phrase we’d have to learn, but here we are. And honestly, the idea behind it is enough to make a lot of Montanans pause for a second. 

Maryland Leads the Charge Against Unfair Pricing

Maryland just became the first state in the country to officially ban the practice, and it raises an interesting question: Should Montana be paying attention to this technology? 

According to a new law signed by Maryland Governor Wes Moore, food retailers and third-party delivery services in Maryland can no longer use personal consumer data to charge different prices to different people for the same product. The law takes effect on October 1, 2026, according to MultiState.us.  

How Retailers Use Technology to Influence Prices

That may sound futuristic, but the technology already exists. 

Think about how much information companies already collect through apps, loyalty programs, websites, delivery services, social media accounts, and online shopping habits. Companies can already track what you buy, when you buy it, and whether you typically pay full price or wait for sales. 

READ MORE: Why Montana Shoppers Spend More on Groceries Than Most States

Now imagine two people walking into the same grocery store in Montana. 

One person regularly buys premium brands, orders delivery often, and rarely uses coupons. Another shopper only buys sale items and price-checks everything. In a world driven by surveillance pricing, those two customers could theoretically see different prices for the same product. 

That is the concern Maryland lawmakers are trying to stop before it becomes widespread. 

If you have noticed more electronic shelf tags appearing in grocery stores lately, you are not imagining things. Those digital price displays allow retailers to change pricing instantly without employees manually swapping paper tags. Right now, they are mostly used for convenience and inventory management, but critics worry the technology could eventually evolve into personalized pricing systems tied to customer data. 

To be clear, there is no evidence that this type of individualized grocery pricing is currently happening in Montana. 

Montana's Standpoint: A Call for Caution or Action?

But lawmakers in Maryland clearly believe the possibility is real enough to act now rather than later. 

READ MORE: You’ll Never Guess Where Montana’s Cheapest Groceries Are

Montana is among the states that have not yet considered similar pricing legislation in 2026.  

Technology moves fast. Montana usually moves cautiously. Sometimes that works in our favor. Sometimes it means we are reacting long after other states have already dealt with the problem. 

This might be one of those moments where being proactive actually makes sense. 

With grocery prices already frustrating families across Montana, the idea that algorithms or personal data could someday determine what each person pays at checkout feels like something worth paying attention to before it ever becomes reality.