Consumer News: States move to curb ‘surveillance pricing’ as consumer concerns grow

Policymakers call for more pricing transparency

By Mark Huffman of ConsumerAffairs

• States including California, Colorado, and New York are advancing legislation aimed at limiting surveillance pricing, a practice in which companies use personal data to tailor prices to individual consumers.

• Consumer advocates say the pricing models can quietly charge higher prices based on factors such as location, browsing history, income estimates, or shopping habits.

• Businesses argue dynamic pricing improves efficiency and reflects market demand, but lawmakers are increasingly pushing for transparency and consumer protections.

A growing number of states are giving more scrutiny to surveillance pricing, a controversial practice that allows companies to use consumers personal data to determine the prices they see online.

Lawmakers and consumer advocates say the technology-driven pricing strategies can result in different consumers paying different prices for the same product or service, often without realizing it.

In response, several states are introducing or advancing legislation designed to increase transparency and restrict how companies use personal data in pricing decisions.

The issue has gained momentum as retailers, airlines, hotels, and app-based services increasingly rely on artificial intelligence and large-scale data collection to personalize offers and prices in real time.

What is surveillance pricing?

Surveillance pricing refers to the practice of collecting and analyzing consumer data including browsing history, location data, device type, purchase history, and demographic information to adjust prices for individuals.

Unlike traditional dynamic pricing, which changes prices broadly based on supply and demand, surveillance pricing uses personal information to estimate what a specific consumer may be willing to pay.

Critics say the practice lacks transparency and can disproportionately affect lower-income consumers or people living in certain ZIP codes. Privacy groups have also warned that the technology can reinforce racial or economic disparities if algorithms rely on biased data sets.

The Federal Trade Commission has expressed growing interest in the issue, warning that opaque algorithmic pricing systems may create unfair or deceptive practices.

States begin legislative push

California lawmakers are considering proposals that would require companies to disclose when personal data is being used to set prices. Some measures would also prohibit the use of sensitive data such as health information or precise geolocation in pricing decisions.

Colorado legislators have explored broader consumer privacy protections that could limit how businesses deploy algorithmic pricing systems. State officials there have framed the issue as part of a wider effort to regulate AI-driven consumer targeting.

New York lawmakers have introduced bills focused on preventing discriminatory pricing practices and requiring companies to explain how automated pricing systems operate.

Other states, including Illinois and Massachusetts, are reportedly evaluating similar proposals as concerns over AI-powered commerce continue to grow.

Businesses defend dynamic pricing

Industry groups say personalized pricing is often misunderstood and that dynamic pricing can help companies respond to market conditions, reduce waste, and offer discounts to price-sensitive consumers.

Retailers note that variable pricing has existed for decades in industries such as airlines and hospitality. Technology companies argue that modern pricing tools simply improve the efficiency of those systems.

Some economists also caution that overly broad restrictions could unintentionally reduce competition or eliminate personalized discounts that benefit consumers.

The findings may lead to earlier diagnosis and treatment

By Mark Huffman of ConsumerAffairs

• A new Mayo Clinic study suggests Alzheimers disease may begin decades before symptoms appear, with subtle biological changes starting as early asthe late 50s.

• Researchers tracked more than 2,000 adults and found that changes in brain proteins, blood biomarkers, and cognitive performance accelerate between the late 50s and early 70s.

• Scientists say the findings could help doctors identify at-risk patients earlier and improve efforts to prevent or slow the disease before memory loss begins.

Alzheimers disease may begin developing far earlier than most people realize, according to new research from the Mayo Clinic. Researcher found that found subtle biological changes linked to the disease can start decades before noticeable memory problems appear.

The study, published in Alzheimers & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimers Association, analyzed data from 2,082 participants in the long-running Mayo Clinic Study of Aging.

Researchers examined blood biomarkers, brain imaging scans, and cognitive testing results to determine when Alzheimers-related changes begin to accelerate over a persons lifetime.

Subtle changes could appear in the late 50s

Researchers found that subtle declines in cognitive performance may begin in the late 50s, while amyloid buildup in the brain one of the hallmarks of Alzheimers disease appears to accelerate in the early 60s. Other biological markers associated with brain injury and inflammation tended to rise later, particularly in the late 60s and early 70s.

This population-based study provides an integrated view of age-related patterns across multiple Alzheimers biomarkers measured in blood and imaging, plus cognition, said Mingzhao Hu, assistant professor in the Mayo Clinics Department of Quantitative Health Sciences and the studys first author.

Alzheimers disease is the most common form of dementia and affects nearly sevenmillion Americans age 65 and older. The disease is associated with abnormal accumulations of proteins such as amyloid and tau in the brain, which can gradually damage nerve cells and impair memory and thinking abilities.

A long biological process

Scientists say the findings reinforce the idea that Alzheimers is a long biological process rather than a condition that begins when symptoms first appear.

The study identified a timeline in which different warning signs emerge at different stages. Brain scans showed amyloid buildup becoming more pronounced before many blood-based indicators of nerve damage increased. Biomarkers linked to stressed brain-support cells and injured nerve fibers tended to accelerate later in life.

Researchers say understanding that timeline could improve screening strategies and help identify the best window for preventive treatments.

Earlier detection can give patients and families more time to plan, access care, and benefit from treatments that may slow progression, the Mayo Clinic researchers noted.

Other risk factors

Experts caution, however, that the findings describe broad population trends rather than predicting when any one person will develop Alzheimers symptoms. Factors such as genetics, cardiovascular health, sleep quality, and lifestyle can all influence an individuals risk.

The researchers also noted that most study participants came from Olmsted County, Minnesota, meaning additional studies involving more diverse populations will be needed to confirm whether the same patterns hold across different racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic groups.

Still, scientists say the research adds to growing evidence that Alzheimers disease begins long before memory loss becomes obvious potentially opening the door to earlier intervention and more effective prevention strategies in the future.

Most injuries happen as athletes train

By Mark Huffman of ConsumerAffairs

• Exercise equipment caused more injuries than any other sports activity in the U.S. in 2024, with injury rates climbing 16.4% year over year.

• Soccer injuries surged 24.4% in a single year and have risen 219.4% since 2020, the largest five-year increase in the study.

• Even lower-ranked activities such as track and field and boxing posted some of the fastest-growing injury rates nationwide.

Many physical sports produce injuries, but they pale in comparison to the number of Americans who are injured before they ever get on the field or court.

An analysis of 2024 data, conducted by digital signage company OptiSigns, using National Safety Council injury data, found that exercise equipment produced the highest injury rate of any sports or recreational category in the United States.

Exercise equipment injuries averaged 136.84 injuries per 100,000 people over the past five years, surpassing bicycles and accessories, which ranked second at 124.12 injuries per 100,000. Basketball, football, and playground equipment rounded out the top five.

Researchers said the findings point to a growing need for better injury prevention and more visible safety communication in gyms and recreation facilities.

Exercise equipment outpaces bicycles and accessories by more than 12 points, making gym-based equipment the single largest source of sports and recreational injuries in the country, the report said.

Soccer injuries soar

While exercise equipment led overall injury rates, soccer posted one of the steepest increases.

The study found soccer injuries jumped 24.4% from 2023 to 2024 and have increased 219.4% since 2020 the largest five-year growth among all activities tracked.

Track and field activities showed the biggest one-year increase, climbing 28.4% between 2023 and 2024. Racquet sports also recorded a sharp 23.5% increase.

Football injuries rose 20.1% year over year, while playground equipment injuries increased 20.5%, according to the report.

Injuries are rising across the board

Researchers noted that all 15 sports and recreational categories in the dataset recorded year-over-year injury increases in 2024, suggesting a broad nationwide trend rather than isolated spikes.

Ten activities, including soccer, volleyball, basketball, and exercise equipment, posted uninterrupted annual injury increases every year from 2020 through 2024.

Volleyball injuries rose 169.4% over the five-year period, while hockey injuries climbed 139.7%. Boxing injuries more than doubled during the same timeframe despite ranking last overall in average injury rate.

The report also found that lower-ranked activities are now growing faster than many traditionally high-injury sports. Track and field, which ranked 14th overall by average injury rate, recorded both the fastest year-over-year increase and one of the largest five-year jumps in the entire study.

The study analyzed National Safety Council Injury Facts data covering 15 sports and recreational activity categories from 2020 through 2024. Injury rates were measured per 100,000 U.S. residents, with rankings based on five-year average injury rates.

The retailer tested the service in Seattle and Philadelphia

By Mark Huffman of ConsumerAffairs

• Amazon is expanding its new Amazon Now service to dozens of U.S. cities, promising delivery of groceries and household essentials in about 30 minutes or less.

• The service will initially reach millions of customers in metro areas including Atlanta, Dallas-Fort Worth, Philadelphia and Seattle, with more cities planned by years end.

• Prime members will pay delivery fees starting at $3.99, while Amazon positions the service as its fastest mainstream delivery option yet.

Several decades ago, a pizza chain promised delivery within 30 minutes or less. Now Amazon is making that promise in select cities sort of.

The company has announced that the ultra-fast delivery service -- around 30 minutes -- is expanding to dozens of cities across the United States after initial pilot programs in Seattle and Philadelphia. Amazon said the service is now broadly available in Atlanta, Dallas-Fort Worth, Philadelphia and Seattle, while additional expansion is planned for cities including Houston, Phoenix, Denver, Orlando, Minneapolis and Oklahoma City.

Amazon Now focuses on high-demand items customers may need immediately, including groceries, household essentials, over-the-counter medications, pet supplies and small electronics. Amazon executive Udit Madan said the service is designed for situations where consumers need or want the convenience of rapid delivery.

The service operates through smaller urban fulfillment hubs stocked with roughly 3,500 frequently purchased products. Those facilities are significantly smaller than Amazons traditional warehouses and are intended to shorten delivery times in densely populated areas.

What it costs

Prime members will pay delivery fees beginning at $3.99 per order, while non-Prime customers will pay $13.99. Amazon also plans to charge small-order fees for purchases under $15.

The launch intensifies competition among retailers racing to provide near-instant fulfillment. Walmart already offers express delivery on more than 100,000 products, and app-based services such as Instacart and DoorDash have conditioned consumers to expect faster delivery windows.

Amazon executives said the company has seen strong demand for faster shipping options, noting that orders for everyday essentials are growing faster than other delivery categories. The company has steadily shortened delivery windows over the past decade, moving from two-day Prime shipping to same-day and one-hour delivery in some markets.

Still, analysts cautioned that ultrafast delivery can be expensive and difficult to scale profitably.

Amazon also appears mindful of comparisons to Dominos Pizzas abandoned 30 minutes or less guarantee, which ended in the 1990s after lawsuits tied to delivery crashes. Amazon said it will not guarantee delivery times and emphasized that workers and drivers are not expected to rush orders.

But the cost of groceries added to the pain

By Mark Huffman of ConsumerAffairs

• Consumer prices rose 0.6% in April, pushing the annual inflation rate to 3.8%, as higher energy and shelter costs continued to pressure household budgets.

• Energy prices posted some of the sharpest gains, with gasoline up 5.4% for the month and nearly 28.4% over the past year, while airline fares climbed 20.7% annually.

• A few categories provided relief for consumers, including new vehicles, communication services, and medical care, which all declined in April.

Inflation accelerated again in April as higher gasoline, housing and grocery costs drove consumer prices sharply higher, according to the latest Consumer Price Index report released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The CPI rose 0.6% on a seasonally adjusted basis in April after increasing 0.9% in March. Over the last 12 months, prices climbed 3.8%, up from a 3.3% annual rate the previous month.

Energy costs remained one of the biggest inflation drivers. The energy index increased 3.8% in April and accounted for more than 40% of the monthly increase in overall inflation, the report said. Gasoline prices jumped 5.4% during the month and were up 28.4% compared with a year earlier. Fuel oil prices surged 54.3% over the past 12 months.

Housing costs also continued climbing. The shelter index rose 0.6% in April and increased 3.3% over the last year. Owners equivalent rent and rent indexes both advanced 0.5% during the month.

More expensive groceries

Food prices also moved higher. Grocery prices rose 0.7% in April, led by a 2.7% jump in beef prices and a 1.8% increase in fruits and vegetables. Restaurant prices increased 0.2% for the month and were up 3.6% from a year ago.

Outside of food and energy, so-called core inflation rose 0.4% in April and 2.8% over the past year. Among the categories posting notable monthly increases were airline fares, household furnishings, personal care and apparel. Airline fares were up 20.7% compared with a year ago.

Some categories, however, showed modest declines. Prices for new vehicles and communication services each fell 0.2% in April, while the medical care index slipped 0.1%. Hospital services declined 0.3% during the month.