[hcal]

You're right that businesses might roll fees into the base price, but that’s the point: transparency. When all costs are upfront, customers can more easily compare prices between competitors. Hidden fees make price comparisons difficult and misleading.

Take airlines, for example—if one shows a $200 ticket and another shows $180 but sneaks in $30 of fees later, the second one appears cheaper. By requiring prices to reflect the full cost upfront, businesses compete on the actual price rather than deceptive practices. This won’t magically lower costs, but it will force clarity and reward companies offering genuine value.

Consumers should have a clear picture of what they’re paying, not a surprise at checkout. Isn’t that just fair competition?

[tippytippytango]

Yes! Markets work better when deceptive price signals are not inhibiting price discovery. When deception is not rewarded.