Bill > S2642

This bill, titled the "Price Tags Act," aims to protect Rhode Island consumers by preventing coercive economic tactics at grocery stores by establishing a new chapter in the state's commercial law. It defines key terms such as "covered goods" (grocery items excluding gasoline, drugs, tobacco, and alcohol), "covered retailer" (any business selling these goods in Rhode Island), and "dominant covered retailer" (large national chains with significant sales and stores in multiple states). The act makes it unlawful for a "covered supplier" (a producer selling over $6 billion annually) to offer different terms of sale, such as varying prices or discounts, to different retailers for the same product on the same volume basis, unless specific exceptions apply, like genuine cost efficiencies or sales of perishable goods. It also prohibits suppliers from refusing to sell to retailers who have paid on time and requested fair terms, and prevents dominant retailers from coercing suppliers into violating these provisions. The bill allows for legal action to seek injunctions or damages for violations and includes defenses for suppliers who were forced into non-compliance by dominant retailers, provided they reported the conduct.

Business and Industry

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