Connecticut Senate Bill SB00187

Connecticut 2023 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/17/23
• Refer: 1/17/23

Caption

An Act Concerning Price Parity For Consumer Goods.

Impact

If enacted, SB00187 would amend existing state statutes to enforce a stricter standard on pricing practices observed by retailers. This change would likely impact a broad array of businesses, requiring them to align their pricing strategies across both online platforms and physical locations. The intent is to foster fairness in the retail environment, particularly benefiting consumers who may feel disadvantaged by varying prices for the same product based on how they choose to buy it.

Summary

Senate Bill 00187, titled 'An Act Concerning Price Parity For Consumer Goods', aims to establish a pricing consistency between online and in-person sales of consumer goods. The essence of the bill is to ensure that retailers who advertise a particular price for an item online cannot charge customers a higher price when they decide to purchase that same item in-person at the store. This proposal seeks to protect consumers from potential price discrimination based on the mode of purchase.

Contention

Notable points of contention surrounding SB00187 might include concerns from retailers about the feasibility of enforcing such a law. Some business owners could argue that differing prices reflect the costs associated with online versus in-store sales. Additionally, there could be apprehensions regarding potential impacts on local businesses, especially if they are unable to match online pricing effectively. These debates would likely focus on balancing consumer rights against business freedoms in pricing strategies.