AN ACT RELATING TO COMMERCIAL LAW -- GENERAL REGULATORY PROVISIONS -- UNFAIR SALES PRACTICES (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.)

H7719

2026 -- H 7719
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LC004780
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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2026
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A N A C T
RELATING TO COMMERCIAL LAW -- GENERAL REGULATORY PROVISIONS --
UNFAIR SALES PRACTICES

Introduced By:
Representatives Noret, Kazarian, Azzinaro, Kennedy, Corvese, Fascia,
Paplauskas, Read, Fogarty, and Carson

Date Introduced:
February 12, 2026

Referred To:
House Corporations
(Lieutenant Governor)
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
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SECTION 1. Sections 6-13-1 and 6-13-11 of the General Laws in Chapter 6-13 entitled
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"Unfair Sales Practices" are hereby amended to read as follows:
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6-13-1. Definitions.
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(a) “Cost to the retailer” means the invoice cost of the merchandise to the retailer within
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thirty (30) days prior to the date of the sale, or the replacement cost of the merchandise to the
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retailer within thirty (30) days prior to the date of the sale, in the quantity last purchased, whichever
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is lower; less all trade discounts except customary discounts for cash; to which shall be added:
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(1) Freight charges not otherwise included in the cost of the merchandise;
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(2) Cartage to the retail outlet if performed or paid for by the retailer, which cartage cost
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shall be deemed to be three-fourths of one percent (0.75%) of the cost of the merchandise to the
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retailer, unless the retailer claims and proves a lower cartage cost; and
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(3) A markup to cover in part the cost of doing business, which markup, in the absence of
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proof of a lesser cost, shall be six percent (6%) of the total cost at the retail outlet.
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(b) “Cost to the wholesaler” means the invoice cost of the merchandise to the wholesaler
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within thirty (30) days prior to the date of the sale, or the replacement cost of the merchandise to
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the wholesaler within thirty (30) days prior to the date of the sale, in the quantity last purchased,
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whichever is lower; less all trade discounts except customary discounts for cash; to which shall be
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added:

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(1) Freight charges not otherwise included in the cost of the merchandise;
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(2) Cartage to the retail outlet if performed or paid for by the wholesaler, which cartage
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cost shall be deemed to be three-fourths of one percent (0.75%) of the cost of the merchandise to
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the wholesaler, unless the wholesaler claims and proves a lower cartage cost; and
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(3) A markup to cover in part the cost of doing business, which markup, in the absence of
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proof of a lesser cost, shall be two percent (2%) of the total cost at the wholesale establishment.
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(c) Where two (2) or more items are advertised; offered for sale; or sold at a combined
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price; the price of each item shall be determined in the manner stated in subsections (a) and (b).
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(d) “Sell at retail”, “sales at retail”, and “retail sale” mean and include any transfer of title
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to tangible personal property for a valuable consideration made in the ordinary course of trade or
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in the usual prosecution of the seller’s business to the purchaser for consumption or use other than
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resale or further processing or manufacturing. In this and in the preceding subsection the previous
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terms shall include any transfer of property where title is retained by the seller as security for the
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payment of the purchase price.
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(e) “Retailer” means and includes every person, co-partnership, corporation, or association
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engaged in the business of making sales at retail within this state; provided, that, in the case of a
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retailer engaged in the business of making sales both at retail and at wholesale, the term shall be
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applied only to the retail portion of the business.
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(f) “Wholesaler” means and includes every person, partnership, corporation, or association
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engaged in the business of making sales at wholesale within this state; provided, that, in the case
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of a wholesaler engaged in the business of making sales both at wholesale and at retail, the term
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shall be applied only to the wholesale portion of the business.
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(g) Whenever any person, partnership, corporation, or association in the course of doing
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business performs the functions of both wholesaler and retailer without actually being engaged in
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the business of making sales at wholesale, the term “wholesaler” means and includes that function
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of the business of preparation for sale at the retail outlet, and the term “retailer” shall be applied
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only to the retail portion of the business.
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(h) “Household” means and includes those who dwell under the same roof, house, or
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apartment.
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(i) “Rebate” means a refund of a portion of the purchase price made to consumer to induce
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purchase of product.
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(j) "Digital coupon" means any store coupon, rebate, or similar instrument presented solely
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through the Internet, and only obtainable through a consumer's personal computing device, and that
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provides to a consumer a discounted price or benefit, redeemable at the physical location where the

LC004780 - Page 2 of 4
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goods or services are being offered for sale.
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6-13-11. Discount price advertisement.
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(a)
It shall be unlawful to use, communicate, or publish any advertisement that states that
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an item or product is being sold or offered for sale at below the regular price or at a percentage off
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the regular price without posting the regular price at the point of purchase.
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(b)
Whenever an item or product is advertised for sale at below the regular price or at a
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percentage off the regular price, the advertisement shall clearly state whether there is an additional
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charge for equipment or services that are reasonably necessary for the proper use of the product.
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(c) Whenever food and related items, as defined in § 44-18-7.1, are advertised by a retailer
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for sale at or below the regular price or at a percentage off the regular price through the redemption
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of a digital coupon, the retailers shall provide a purchaser with the ability to obtain the same
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discounted price or other benefit offered by the digital coupon through an alternative method not
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requiring the use of a personal computing device. Such alternative methods may include, but are
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not limited to, paper coupons, electronic kiosks, or application of the discounted price or benefit at
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the point-of-sale upon the request of the consumer. Such in-store alternatives shall be readily
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available and easily accessible to the consumer, and in the case of electronic kiosks, be prominently
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displayed in the store.
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(d)
Any person, firm, or corporation who or that shall violate the provisions of this section
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shall be punished by a fine of not more than five hundred dollars ($500).
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(e) Severability. If any portion of this section is found by a court of competent jurisdiction
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to be the unlawful, such finding shall not affect any other portion of this section not specifically so
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found.
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SECTION 2. This act shall take effect on January 1, 2027.
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EXPLANATION
BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
OF
A N A C T
RELATING TO COMMERCIAL LAW -- GENERAL REGULATORY PROVISIONS --
UNFAIR SALES PRACTICES
***
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This act would provide that stores offering food product discounts must provide the same
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discounts to in-store customers that are offered to customers using electronic digital coupons.
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This act would take effect on January 1, 2027.
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LC004780 - Page 4 of 4