The proposed bill establishes the "Consumer Grocery Pricing Fairness Act" in Minnesota, aimed at ensuring fair pricing practices in the grocery sector. It introduces definitions for key terms such as "covered good," "covered retailer," "dominant covered retailer," and "price differential," among others. The bill prohibits covered suppliers from offering different terms of sale to retailers based on trade channels or other distinctions, and mandates that they provide anonymized terms of sale to retailers upon request. Additionally, it outlines the responsibilities of dominant covered retailers, including restrictions on their purchasing practices that could harm competition.
The bill also includes provisions for enforcement, allowing the attorney general or affected individuals to seek injunctions and civil penalties for violations. It specifies that penalties can be up to one and a half times the actual damages or the pricing differential suffered by the affected parties. Furthermore, the legislation clarifies that it does not compel business relationships unless they violate the outlined provisions and maintains that existing antitrust laws remain unaffected by this new legislation.