Consumer Reports’ new investigation found that Instacart — which promotes itself as the nation’s largest third-party grocery delivery service — is conducting artificial intelligence pricing experiments that result in different customers paying more for the exact same item. While Instacart calls these price differences “negligible,” we found prices on certain grocery products differ by as much as 23 percent. Based on the average variations we saw, for a household of four that could translate into a swing of about $1,200 a year, a significant impact during a time of record grocery prices.
Consumers shouldn’t be guinea pigs when it comes to shopping for food – the price should be the price for everyone. Join us in calling on the Federal Trade Commission and state attorneys general to investigate Instacart’s pricing algorithms, and hold them accountable if they find any unfair and deceptive practices.
PETITION TO THE FTC and STATE ATTORNEYS GENERAL
At a time of rising grocery prices, we urge you to immediately investigate the use of artificial intelligence by Instacart that results in different customers paying more for the exact same item. A new investigation by Consumer Reports, Groundwork Collaborative, and More Perfect Union found that volunteer shoppers who shopped the same items at the exact same time online saw prices for some products differ by as much as 23 percent. Based on the average variations we saw, for a household of four that could translate into a swing of about $1,200 a year, a significant impact during a time of rising prices and inflation.
Consumers shouldn’t be guinea pigs when it comes to shopping for food — the price should be the price for everyone. Please use your authority to investigate the use of artificial intelligence in grocery pricing, and hold Instacart and its affiliated retailers accountable if you find any unfair or deceptive pricing.