The watchdog agency's surveillance pricing study indicates that a wide range of consumer behaviors — including the items they leave unpurchased in an online shopping cart — can be used to "tailor" pricing to individual users, as opposed to one price for all customers, a Friday news release says.

Major retailers can tailor prices based on customer data including location, demographics or shopping history, the US Federal Trade Commission said in initial study findings, raising concerns about the use of what they termed “surveillance pricing.

In a huge lawsuit, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission alleges that food and drink giant Pepsi engaged in pricing tactics unfair to both retailers and consumers.