Instacart charging different prices on same grocery staples in same stores: study
New York Post••business
Key Points:
- A study by Groundwork Collaborative and Consumer Reports found that Instacart uses an algorithm that charges different prices for the same grocery items at the same stores without informing customers, with price variations up to 23%.
- Nearly 75% of grocery items surveyed showed price discrepancies on Instacart, raising concerns about "dynamic pricing" practices that could cost consumers an extra $1,200 annually amid rising food inflation.
- Instacart denies using personal data for pricing and claims its price tests help retailers understand consumer preferences, though the study suggests the potential for demographic-based pricing exists.
- Retailers like Target and Albertsons (owner of Safeway) distanced themselves from Instacart’s pricing practices, with some grocers like Stew Leonard
