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Let's Make the Price Right
Every day, companies are extracting data from you and using it in combination with digital technologies to switch up the prices you end up paying, often at your expense.
We now live in a world where simply driving your car to the grocery store is generating a bunch of data points on your driving behavior. Later on, you may notice your car insurance premiums have jumped because you swerved to avoid a pothole on that trip. Then, when you arrive at the grocery store, you think you can come out ahead by using the digital coupons in the store’s mobile app. In reality, you may not have been offered as many coupons as the next shopper, so you ended up paying more for the same basket of groceries.
It’s time we shift power away from companies that are exploiting your data — and give it back to you. Join us as we use our consumer power to Make the Price Right.
What impacts the price you pay?
Cars
If you own a vehicle made in the last five years, chances are it’s collecting a ton of extremely detailed data every time you take it out for a drive – from where you are and how fast you’re going, to how hard you brake and more. Your automaker may share this information or sell it to data brokers, insurers, or others. Insurance providers have been found to use driver behavior data to raise consumers’ rates or deny coverage, all without drivers knowing their data was being shared in the first place. Demand automakers stop sharing driving data with data brokers!
Groceries
Kroger is one of the nation’s largest grocery store chains. However, Kroger is not only in the business of selling groceries – it makes more than $500 million in profit from selling consumers’ data. Kroger also uses your demographic and online behavior data to determine which discounts (digital coupons) you may be offered. Tell Kroger to stop selling customer data to other companies, and offer the same discounts to everyone in the loyalty program!
We are also investigating expired sales tags and other changes Kroger has implemented since the publication of our stories. Download our toolkit to document and sharing your findings with us!
How we win together
Your data should never be used to harm you.
Consumer Reports is fighting to pass strong comprehensive privacy laws, like Maryland’s Online Data Privacy Act, that limit the amount of data companies can collect, share and sell about consumers. This would prevent automakers from selling your data to data brokers without your knowledge.
We are supporting bills, such as the ones in Colorado and California, that would ban the practice of using your data to set an individualized price for you. This would prohibit companies from using data they've collected without your knowledge—like your online searches for other products, or inferences about your income, family members, or health situation—to determine what prices or discounts they will offer you.
We are creating spaces and opportunities for consumers to share their stories and experiences with each other to identify and fight unfair pricing tactics. Together we are able to expose companies that engage in harmful pricing practices. Join us in holding companies accountable, and demand that they commit to fair pricing.
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