Are there consumer protections against price-gouging during emergencies?

In Hawaii, there are consumer protections against price-gouging during emergencies. Price-gouging is when a business or person takes unfair advantage of a situation by raising prices during an emergency. In Hawaii, Governor David Y. Ige signed a law in 2018 that puts a price cap on essential goods and services during emergencies. This covers items like food, water, ice, gas, building materials, consumer goods such as batteries and flashlights, hotel accommodations, and rental cars. Businesses and people cannot charge prices that exceed the prices charged in the last 30 days before the emergency is declared. In addition, Hawaii’s Consumer Protection Act also prohibits unfair methods of competition and unfair or deceptive acts or practices. This includes price-gouging during emergencies. Businesses and people who try to take advantage of a consumer during an emergency can be subject to civil penalties. This means they could be fined or have to return payment to the consumer. Hawaii also has a price-gouging law, which prohibits charging higher prices for essential goods and services during times of disaster or civil emergency. This is enforced by the Consumer Resource Center and can result in fines or court-ordered payments to consumers who were overcharged. Overall, there are consumer protections against price-gouging during emergencies in Hawaii. These laws help ensure that consumers are not taken advantage of during times of crisis.

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Are there consumer protections against price-gouging during emergencies?

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