U.S. Sen. Ben Ray Luján
U.S. SENATE News:
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Sen. Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), a member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, and U.S. Representative Dan Goldman (D-N.Y.) will reintroduce the Promoting Real-time Information on Cost Expenditure (PRICE) Act, legislation designed to provide consumers with more clarity on delivery app pricing.
When shopping through a delivery app for meal delivery, groceries, or other products, many companies apply surprise delivery fees and service charges at checkout that significantly inflate the total cost. These practices harm consumers by making it easier to overspend their budgets and virtually impossible to comparison shop while hindering competitive markets.
The PRICE Act requires delivery apps to show consumers the total running “all-in” price of their order as items are added to their carts. It also requires that the apps include, prior to checkout, a clear breakdown that prominently displays the ongoing total purchase amount, along with an explanation of each fee. The reintroduction of the PRICE Act comes as the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced last week that it is seeking public comment on whether a rule is needed to address unfair or deceptive fee practices associated with the services provided by online food and grocery delivery platforms nationwide.
“Far too often, Americans are caught off guard by high costs at checkout because of hidden fees that delivery apps fail to disclose upfront. For some, delivery meals are the only option, and these consumers shouldn’t be hit with unexpected fees that force them to exceed their budgets,” Sen. Luján said. “At a time when costs are sky-high thanks to President Trump’s policies, consumers deserve transparency on pricing and the ability to shop without hidden fees that drastically inflate their total costs.”
“As anyone who has ordered food or grocery delivery lately knows – too often delivery apps surprise us with junk fees at checkout that inflate the total cost. Americans deserve to know what they’re paying for and shouldn’t be surprised by hidden fees. The PRICE Act would ensure that delivery apps disclose all costs up front and explain any fees so that consumers can shop confidently without unexpected charges at checkout,” Rep. Goldman said.
The PRICE Act is supported by the National Consumers League.
Full text of the bill is available here.