Instacart hit with $60 million bill for misleading users, says FTC

Business Dec 19, 2025

Instacart is paying out $60 million in refunds after the FTC accused it of deceiving customers.
The company promised "free delivery" on first orders but quietly added mandatory service fees—sometimes up to 15%.
The FTC also said Instacart's free trials for its Instacart+ subscription often led to people being auto-enrolled into paid plans without clear consent.

What happens next?

The settlement means Instacart has to make things right by refunding affected users and being upfront about fees and subscriptions going forward.
The FTC is also looking into how Instacart's pricing tool may have charged different shoppers different prices for the same items.
Instacart says retailers set prices, not them, and that their price tests are randomized.