Senate Judiciary Letter on AI Surveillance Pricing

The Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA) submitted a letter to the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Counterterrorism in response to the hearing, Your Data, Their Profit: The Consumer Cost of AI Surveillance Pricing. In the letter, RILA explains that retailers do not use consumers’ personal data to charge different prices to individual shoppers and emphasizes that strong competition remains the primary driver of pricing decisions in the retail marketplace.

The letter highlights the benefits of voluntary loyalty and rewards programs, the role of retail innovation such as electronic shelf labels (ESLs), and the industry's commitment to protecting consumer privacy. RILA also urges policymakers to focus on bipartisan solutions that promote affordability and consumer protection, including the Credit Card Competition Act and comprehensive federal privacy legislation. The association reiterates that retailers compete on value, price, and service, and remain committed to maintaining consumer trust through responsible data practices and transparent pricing.