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Seattle City Council Approves First AI Grocery Pricing Ban

By Drooid · Sep 24, 2026, 6:34 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

Seattle City Council approved a first-in-the-nation ban on AI-driven personalized grocery pricing.
The ordinance passed 7-2 and now awaits Mayor Katie Wilson’s signature.
Councilmembers Robert Kettle and Maritza Rivera opposed it, fearing higher grocery costs.
The rule bars chains with 20+ locations from using race, gender, location or browsing data to set prices.
Safeway said it does not use data to raise prices and warned the ban could cut coupons.

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Story summary

Seattle City Council approved a first-in-the-nation ban on AI-driven personalized grocery pricing.
The ordinance passed 7-2 and now awaits Mayor Katie Wilson’s signature.
Councilmembers Robert Kettle and Maritza Rivera opposed it, fearing higher grocery costs.
The rule bars chains with 20+ locations from using race, gender, location or browsing data to set prices.
Safeway said it does not use data to raise prices and warned the ban could cut coupons.