Provides that stores offering food product discounts must provide the same discounts to in store customers that are offered to customers using electronic digital coupons.
Summary
S0770 amends Rhode Island’s Unfair Sales Practices law to address how retail discounts are advertised and redeemed, with a particular focus on digital coupons for food and related items. The bill adds a definition of “digital coupon” and revises the discount-advertising rules so that when food and related items are advertised at a discount through a digital coupon, retailers must offer consumers an alternative way to obtain the same discount without requiring a personal computing device.
The bill specifies that acceptable alternatives may include paper coupons, electronic kiosks, or applying the discount at the point of sale upon request. It also retains existing requirements that discount advertisements disclose the regular price at the point of purchase and any additional charges for equipment or services needed to use the product. A violation of the section remains punishable by a fine of up to $500, and the act would take effect on January 1, 2026.
Impact
This bill would modify Chapter 6-13 of the Rhode Island General Laws by adding a new definition of digital coupon and by imposing a new consumer-access requirement on retailers advertising discounts for food and related items. In practice, stores that use app-only or internet-only coupon promotions would need to provide an in-store equivalent method so customers without smartphones, internet access, or personal computing devices can receive the same price reduction. The measure primarily affects retailers, grocery stores, and other sellers of food and related items, while leaving the existing penalty structure and severability clause in place.
Sentiment
The bill appears to have a consumer-protection and accessibility focus, aiming to ensure that discount pricing is available to all shoppers rather than only those who can use digital tools. Based on the bill text and caption, the overall posture is supportive of in-store equity and transparency in pricing. No committee transcript or vote history was provided, so there is no recorded debate or formal voting sentiment to summarize beyond the bill’s apparent policy intent.
Contention
The main point of contention is likely the burden placed on retailers that have shifted promotions to app-based or digital-only coupon systems. Retailers may view the requirement to provide paper, kiosk, or point-of-sale alternatives as an operational cost and a constraint on marketing flexibility, while supporters would argue it prevents discrimination against customers without smartphones or reliable internet access. Another possible issue is how readily available and easily accessible the alternative methods must be in practice, since the bill requires them to be “readily available” and “prominently displayed” in the case of kiosks.