Derek Kravitz
Investigative journalist at Consumer Reports who led a study into Instacart's pricing practices and explains findings about surveillance pricing and retailer use of AI.
Best podcasts with Derek Kravitz
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17 snips
Dec 16, 2025 • 26min
The Price is Rigged
Derek Kravitz, an investigative journalist at Consumer Reports, and Alfred Ng, a tech policy reporter for Politico, dive into the controversial world of surveillance pricing. They explore how Instacart uses customer data for price discrimination, revealing alarming findings from a live study on algorithm-based price changes. The discussion also touches on the legal gray areas surrounding these practices, consumer reactions, and the FTC's ongoing probe. With insights into the political landscape and legislative attempts to address these issues, their conversation is both enlightening and thought-provoking.
Dec 12, 2025 • 1h 8min
TNW 416: AI Pricing on Instacart - Is AI Making You Pay More for Grocery Deliveries?
Derek Kravitz, an investigative journalist at Consumer Reports, delves into a fascinating investigation revealing how Instacart leverages AI to implement variable pricing on groceries. He shares insights on the study's methodology, which involved 437 participants uncovering price discrepancies of up to 23% on identical products. Discussion includes the implications of dynamic pricing, how consumer behavior affects costs, and future regulatory considerations. It's a deep dive into transparency in grocery shopping that every consumer should consider!
