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HB 800

CONSUMERS/FOOD-BEVERAGES: Provides with respect to consumer protection regarding the pricing of groceries

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Alonzo Knox and 1 co-sponsor

Louisiana would ban discriminatory, unequal terms for same-goods sales to non-dominant grocers and require suppliers to offer and disclose consistent volume-based terms.

Read by title, under the rules, referred to the Committee on Commerce.
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Bill Summary · HB 800

Summary of HB 800 (Louisiana, 2026 Session) – Make Affordable Groceries Again Act

This bill proposes a new Chapter 70 in Title 51 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes to regulate pricing practices in the grocery sector and to protect smaller retailers from discriminatory terms.

Purpose and intent

  • Establishes a framework to promote price fairness in the sale of groceries to retailers and wholesalers in Louisiana.
  • Aims to ensure uniform terms of sale on a volume unit basis across channels of trade, preventing price discrimination by suppliers against non-dominant retailers and wholesalers.

Key definitions (selected)

  • Channels of trade: Various pathways through which groceries are marketed and sold (e.g., supermarkets, online retailers, mass merchandisers, etc.).
  • Covered goods: Grocery items and consumer-packaged goods (excludes gasoline, prescription drugs, tobacco, and alcoholic beverages).
  • Covered retailer: A retailer selling covered goods at least at one location in Louisiana.
  • Covered supplier: Producer/seller of covered goods that meets annual volume thresholds and sells through agents or third parties.
  • Covered wholesaler: Purchases goods for resale or distribution to covered retailers in Louisiana.
  • Dominant covered retailer: A covered retailer meeting high annual sales thresholds and operating in multiple states.
  • Pricing differential, same covered good, same terms of sale, volume unit basis: Technical terms used to compare pricing and contract terms across retailers.

Prohibited conduct ( substantive provisions)

  • Price fairness: A covered supplier must not fail to extend the same terms of sale to all covered retailers/wholesalers on the same volume unit basis in reasonably contemporaneous sales.
  • Disclosure on request: Within 14 days of a written request, a supplier must provide anonymized terms of sale (from all contracts with dominant retailers) for the same product sold on the same volume basis during the prior 180 days.
  • Refusal to sell: A supplier cannot refuse to sell to a non-dominant retailer/wholesaler if: 1) The retailer is not a dominant retailer. 2) The retailer/wholesaler has paid for purchases in the prior 12 months. 3) The retailer/wholesaler requests the same terms offered to others, consistent with the law. 4) The refusal lacks a commercially reasonable justification.
  • Prohibition on coercion: Dominant retailers and their agents/third parties cannot coerce suppliers to violate these provisions.

Liability and defenses

  • Mandatary liability: A supplier or a dominant retailer is liable for violations by contracted third parties.
  • Defenses to liability:
    • Differences in terms due to retailer self-distribution or genuine efficiencies lowering costs.
    • Voluntary acceptance of different terms by a retailer in exchange for reasonable consideration.
    • Terms applied in cases of perishable goods deterioration, seasonal obsolescence, distress sales under court process, or good-faith discontinuance of the goods.

Enforcement and penalties

  • Enforcement by the Louisiana Attorney General or affected parties (retailers, wholesalers, or suppliers).
  • Remedies include injunctions and civil penalties or damages:
    • Damages: up to 1.5x actual damages, or the pricing differential suffered by the affected party.
    • Injunctions may be issued to cure violations.
  • Both injunctions and monetary penalties may be awarded, or both in combination.

Rules of construction and effective date

  • Clarifies alignment with Federal antitrust laws (Clayton Act references) and clarifies no limiting effect on antitrust protections.
  • Effective date: Upon signature by the governor (or as otherwise provided by law if unsigned).

Practical impact

  • If enacted, the law would constrain how grocery suppliers set terms of sale and would require transparency in terms, particularly for non-dominant retailers.
  • Aims to curb discriminatory pricing aimed at smaller retailers, while providing defenses and clear exemptions under specific business circumstances.
  • Could affect sourcing strategies, contract negotiations, and competitive dynamics among grocery channels in Louisiana.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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