In the News

On any given day, Groundwork's analyses, op-eds, reports, and commentary are featured in leading publications and on the most influential news programs and podcasts.

Mention

Instacart’s AI pricing tools drive up the cost of some groceries, study finds

The study, released Tuesday by Groundwork Collaborative, a progressive advocacy group, Consumer Reports and news organization More Perfect Union, enlisted 437 shoppers across four cities to add the same items to their carts within the Instacart app from the same store.

December 9, 2025 CNBC
Mention

Same Product, Same Store, but on Instacart, Prices Might Differ

The findings are the latest example of how the notion of a single price is breaking down in the digital age, a trend economists say could be pushing up some prices.

December 9, 2025 The New York Times
Mention

Instacart uses AI price tests that may raise costs for some shoppers, report finds

“Corporate practices like these increase prices for American families,” the Groundwork report states. “When prices are no longer predictable, shoppers can’t properly budget.” It adds: “Most shoppers are unaware that they are the guinea pigs in Instacart’s experiments.”

December 9, 2025 San Francisco Chronicle
Mention

Instacart’s AI-enabled pricing may bump up your grocery costs by as much as 23%, study says.

A months-long investigation by the nonprofit organizations Consumer Reports and Groundwork Collaborative found that identical grocery items on Instacart could differ in price by as much as 23% from one customer to the next.

December 9, 2025 CBS News
Mention

New Report Exposes Instacart’s Hidden Price Games

A new investigation from Groundwork Collaborative, Consumer Reports, and More Perfect Union reveals that Instacart, enabled by the artificial intelligence pricing software Eversight, is running large-scale, hidden price experiments on unsuspecting customers.

December 9, 2025 Consumer Reports
Mention

The Business Strategy That Could Drive Up Your Grocery Bill, and Trump’s $12 Billion Bailout

“The findings, which were published this morning by Consumer Reports and the Groundwork Collective, a progressive policy group, highlight how so-called dynamic pricing is spreading across the economy as companies use sophisticated algorithms to adjust prices in real time.”

December 9, 2025 The New York Times Podcasts
Press Release

The Grinch in the Gift Aisle: Holiday Gifts Prices Up 26% This Year, Report Finds

New analysis from Groundwork Collaborative, The Century Foundation, and AFT finds that prices on many of this season’s most popular holiday gifts are climbing faster than Santa up the chimney, with prices rising an average of 26% since last year — nearly nine times overall inflation.

December 9, 2025 Groundwork Collaborative
Press Release

New Report Exposes Instacart’s Hidden Price Games

A new investigation from Groundwork Collaborative, Consumer Reports, and More Perfect Union reveals that Instacart, enabled by the artificial intelligence pricing software Eversight, is running large-scale, hidden price experiments on unsuspecting customers.

December 9, 2025 Groundwork Collaborative
Press Release

Consumers Feeling Less Than Jolly, Pulling Back on Holiday Shopping as Prices Rise and Confidence Plummets

This year, Black Friday put many shoppers in the red.

December 5, 2025 Groundwork Collaborative
Mention

Is using a “buy now, pay later” service a good idea?

I think this is indicative of a really stressed American consumer. They are ultimately trying to grapple with higher prices as we head into the holiday season either to afford Thanksgiving dinner, Christmas gifts under the tree or just trying to make sure that they can make rent."

December 4, 2025 WUSA9
Load More