Instacart ends pricing experiments amid backlash and FTC probe

This morning, Instacart announced it will end its use of AI-powered pricing experiments on consumers. The announcement follows the release of a bombshell report from Groundwork Collaborative, Consumer Reports, and More Perfect Union revealing Instacart charging shoppers different prices for identical items, a practice that could cost families as much as $1,200 a year in the midst of a national grocery affordability crisis. The report generated widespread media coverage, sparked massive backlash on social media, and spurred a flurry of action on Capitol Hill, including a letter from Minority Leader Chuck Schumer to the Federal Trade Commission. Last week, the FTC launched an investigation into the company’s pricing practices, and Instacart’s stock price plummeted in response. Groundwork Action’s Executive Director Lindsay Owens reacted with the following statement: “Once we pulled back the curtain on Instacart’s hidden pricing experiments, the company had no choice but to close the lab