U.S. Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez has introduced legislation aimed at strengthening federal protections against price discrimination that can make it harder for small and rural businesses to compete with large retail chains.
Gluesenkamp Perez, D-Skamania, announced the Fair Prices for Local Businesses Act in a June 11 social media post, saying rural communities are increasingly at risk of becoming food deserts as local stores close.
“As more and more local stores close their doors, rural communities are becoming food deserts,” Gluesenkamp Perez stated. “I’m introducing the Fair Prices for Local Businesses Act to end the price discrimination putting local stores out of business.”
The bill, H.R. 8184, was introduced April 2 by Gluesenkamp Perez and Rep. Josh Riley of New York. It was referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
The legislation would amend the Clayton Act, a federal antitrust law, to strengthen prohibitions on price discrimination. The bill seeks to address situations in which larger companies may receive pricing advantages that smaller businesses cannot access, making it difficult for independent retailers to compete.
The bill would expand existing language in the law from “commodities” to “products or services” and apply the prohibition to commerce or activity affecting commerce. It would also revise parts of the law related to purchasers receiving the benefit of unlawful discrimination and establish a clearer damages framework for plaintiffs who prove they were unlawfully discriminated against.
Supporters of the proposal argue that local stores, particularly in rural communities, often face higher costs than large-volume retailers, leaving them with narrow margins and fewer ways to compete.
In a quote shared by Gluesenkamp Perez, Greg Drew, of Toutle, said his experience growing up in a family-owned grocery store showed him how difficult it can be for small businesses to match the buying power of major chains.
“Having grown up in a family owned grocery store in a small rural community, I know full well how difficult it is to compete with the buying power of large retail chains,” Drew said. “There are many times over the years that I discovered my cost on some items could be as much or even more, than a retail price offered by high volume chains on the same item. Try to compete with that!”
The legislation would apply to transactions occurring on or after the date the act is enacted, if approved by Congress and signed into law.
Gluesenkamp Perez has framed the bill as a way to support small businesses that serve as essential anchors in rural communities, where the loss of a local grocery or general store can leave residents with fewer options for food and household goods.
