UFCW ENDORSES BILL 619 TO CRACK DOWN ON UNFAIR AI-DRIVEN PRICE GOUGING ON GROCERIES

REGINA — Local Presidents from the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) are endorsing Bill 619, new legislation introduced by Carla Beck’s team to stop corporations from using artificial intelligence and personal data to unfairly raise prices on essential goods, like groceries.

“UFCW members are on the front lines of this affordability crisis, and they know every dollar matters for the families they serve,” said Lucy Figueiredo, President or UFCW Local 1400, who was joined at the Legislature by Saskatchewan and national representatives.

“Surveillance pricing pushes costs even higher on essential goods — and that’s simply unacceptable. This legislation sends a clear message: profiteering off people’s data has no place in our economy.”

Bill 619, The Consumer Protection and Business Practices (Banning Unfair A.I. Pricing) Amendment Act, was introduced by Shadow Minister for Technology, Innovation & Artificial Intelligence Brittney Senger.

The legislation targets the growing use of A.I. pricing tools that can quietly charge different customers different prices based on their personal data.

“Families are being squeezed at the checkout like never before,” Beck said. “We can’t stand by as massive corporations gouge people even more. It’s wrong — and we need to put a stop to it. We need to be doing everything we can to bring costs down and this is one simple way to do so.”

CBC Marketplace investigators have exposed growing concern that certain companies are using AI-driven systems to push prices even higher — particularly on food sold in grocery stores. Manitoba has already responded with legislation to crack down on these price-gouging schemes.

Food prices rose 5.5 per cent in Saskatchewan over the past year. Prices for certain items — ground beef, canola oil, strawberries and more — have shot up nearly 50 per cent in price since Scott Moe became Premier eight years ago.

“Life in Saskatchewan has become more and more expensive after 20 years of this Sask. Party government,” Senger said. “No one should pay more for groceries because the government is turning a blind eye to unfair price gouging.

“It’s time for change.”

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