Instacart Ends AI-Driven Price Tests After Criticism Over Price Differences
Dec 22, 2025
Instacart announced that it is immediately stopping all item price testing on its platform. The company will no longer allow retailers to use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to set different prices for the same grocery items.
This decision comes after investigations and studies found that some shoppers were being charged different prices for identical products from the same stores. These AI-driven price tests led to significant price differences for customers shopping through Instacart.
The move follows public scrutiny and a recent Consumer Reports investigation, which highlighted concerns that the pricing experiments were unfair and resulted in higher costs for some shoppers.
Going forward, Instacart stated that it will not charge different prices for the same items and will not allow similar price experiments on its platform.
Why did Instacart stop its price testing program?
Instacart stopped the program after criticism and studies showing that it led to customers paying different prices for the same items, which raised fairness concerns.
What was the price testing program?
The program used artificial intelligence to test different prices for the same grocery items, resulting in some customers paying more than others.
Will Instacart charge different prices for the same items in the future?
No, the company said it will no longer allow different prices for the same items on its platform.
Sources
Instacart Ending All Item Price Tests on Its Platform
WSJ
WSJ
Instacart said effective immediately, it is ending all item price tests on its platform, and will not charge different prices for the same items.
Instacart ends AI-driven pricing tests that drove up costs for some shoppers
CNBC
CNBC
Instacart said it will no longer allow retailers to run AI pricing tests on its grocery delivery platform after the practice drew widespread scrutiny. A study released earlier this month showed that Instacart's algorithmic pricing tools caused shoppers to pay different prices for identical items fro...
Instacart ends AI-driven price experiments after criticism
Reuters
Reuters
Instacart is ending price tests that resulted in different shoppers being shown different prices for groceries, the online retail platform said on Monday after criticism of its artificial intelligence-driven pricing tool.
Instacart Got Caught Surveillance Pricing
MarketBeat
MarketBeat
America's favorite grocery ordering and delivery app came under pressure earlier this month after it was found to have engaged in numerous unlawful tactics that harmed shoppers and raised the cost of grocery shopping for Americans.
Instacart scraps AI pricing tests after backlash over grocery price swings
Fast Company
Fast Company
Instacart said Monday that it will no longer allow retailers to use an AI-powered price testing program, two weeks after an extensive investigation showed wide discrepancies in the cost of groceries purchased through the platform.
Instacart Ends Price Testing Following Consumer Reports Study
PYMNTS
PYMNTS
Instacart is suspending its price testing practice on its grocery delivery platform, according to a Monday (Dec. 22) company blog post. The announcement followed the Dec. 9 publication of an investigation by Consumer Reports in partnership with advocacy groups Groundwork Collaborative and More Perfe...
Instacart's Pricing Tests Spark Backlash
MarketBeat
MarketBeat
America's favorite grocery ordering and delivery app came under pressure earlier this month after a consumer advocacy investigation raised concerns about its pricing practices and transparency.
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