Instacart Seeks to Make Online Grocery Shopping Cheaper

Online grocery platform Instacart has announced a number of new features rolling out across the Instacart App that are designed to make online grocery shopping more affordable. From a Deals Tab and exclusive savings for Express members, to a new reduced-cost and free delivery option and new “Dollar Store Hub” destination on the Instacart marketplace, the company is rolling out more ways for customers to save.

This new slate of features come at a time when grocery costs are continuing to rise across North America ahead of the holidays and amid increasing global supply chain challenges. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor' latest consumer price index, released Wednesday, prices for food at home rose 5.4% over the past year. Many consumers will feel these increases on items like corn, dinner rolls and cranberry sauce as they prepare for Thanksgiving, and even frozen turkey prices are already 25 cents more per pound than they were a year ago, according to the USDA’s Turkey Market News Report. 

“Giving people more access to food—and more time to enjoy it together—has always been core to our mission. For most families, when it comes to grocery shopping, we know that every dollar matters,” said Asha Sharma, COO of Instacart. “Outside of rent and transportation, groceries are one of the largest monthly budget expenditures for most households. Roughly 60% of offline grocery transactions in the U.S. include coupons, and across our own marketplace customers have already saved more than $400 million this year.

“That’s why we’re proud to roll out these new features that help customers get exactly what they need while also saving along the way,” Sharma continued. “Online grocery shouldn’t be a luxury, and we’re committed to making Instacart the most affordable way for families across North America to get the food they need from the retailers they love.”

Instacart says its new Deals Tab is reimagining the grocery circular for the digital age, making it easier for people to quickly find the best deals from their favorite retailers and brands. The grocery platform runs hundreds of thousands of deals and coupons across its marketplace every day, and the Deals Tab will offer millions of dollars in savings with daily coupons from retailers and CPG companies, adds Instacart. Customers can visit the tab to browse sales in their area and save on weekly staples, bulk products or special occasion items, with discounts on everything from birthday cakes and steaks to seasonal decor and electronics. 

Instacart is also bringing additional savings to Express members who use the company’s contactless curbside Pickup offering. All Pickup customers already save on service fees and do not pay delivery fees. Over the next few months, Express members will get even more savings with 5% credit back on their eligible Pickup orders, usable on future orders placed via Instacart. The company has expanded Pickup to more than 4,500 stores nationwide across 120 grocery partners, including Aldi, Food Lion, Gelson’s, Publix, Price Chopper, Schnucks, Shop ’n Save, Sprouts, The Fresh Market, Wegmans and more.

In addition to offering food and essentials from value grocers like Grocery Outlet, Aldi, Save Mart, Price Chopper and Food Lion, Instacart is also introducing a new Dollar Store Hub in the Instacart App. Customers can now browse dollar store deals and discover more savings from over 13,000 dollar stores, including the Dollar Tree, which now offers nationwide delivery from more than 7,000 stores, as well as the 99 Cents Only Store, Five Below, and Family Dollar.

Additionally, in select markets, Instacart is testing a new delivery option that will reduce or waive the delivery fee on orders placed more than 24 hours in advance of the desired delivery date and time.