Instacart’s $60 million FTC settlement is an aggregate consumer-redress judgment, not a promise that every subscriber will receive money or that payments will be split evenly. A federal court entered the stipulated order on January 13, 2026, and later FTC material says Instacart paid the money. The official sources reviewed do not specify who qualifies, how much any individual may receive, or when payments will be sent.
What the FTC settlement covers
On December 18, 2025, the Federal Trade Commission announced that Maplebear Inc., doing business as Instacart, agreed to pay $60 million in consumer redress to resolve FTC allegations about delivery-fee advertising, satisfaction guarantees, and Instacart+ subscriptions. The FTC alleged that Instacart advertised first-order delivery as “free” even though mandatory service fees could apply; promoted a “100% satisfaction guarantee” while often offering credits instead of full refunds; and failed to adequately disclose when free trials converted to paid memberships and the limits on refunds. These are the agency’s allegations, not separate judicial findings that Instacart committed wrongdoing. FTC announcement, Dec. 18, 2025
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The FTC said mandatory service fees could add as much as 15% to an order. It also said hundreds of thousands of consumers had been charged for memberships without receiving membership benefits or refunds; the announcement did not give a more exact count. The Commission vote approving the stipulated final order was 2-0. FTC announcement, Dec. 18, 2025
Does the $60 million mean you will get a refund?
Not necessarily. The order enters a $60 million monetary judgment payable to the FTC and allows the agency or its designee to administer the money for consumer relief and related administration. It does not guarantee an equal payment to every Instacart customer or subscriber. Later FTC testimony says Instacart paid $60 million in refunds for consumers allegedly charged for subscriptions without express informed consent; that aggregate payment does not establish an individual award. Stipulated order, entered Jan. 13, 2026 · FTC food-delivery-fees document · FTC testimony, 2026
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The official sources reviewed do not establish an eligibility period, individual award formula, claims deadline, payment schedule, or live claims portal. They also do not say whether consumers must file a claim. Do not assume that you qualify, that a payment is imminent, or that a website or message offering access to settlement money is legitimate merely because it mentions this case.
What the court order requires Instacart to do
The stipulated order in FTC v. Maplebear Inc. d/b/a Instacart, No. 4:25-cv-10783, was entered January 13, 2026, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. It permanently prohibits misrepresentations about delivery costs, additional fees, and whether delivery is free or discounted. If Instacart represents delivery as free or nominally priced, it must clearly disclose other applicable non-government fees. The order also restricts misleading claims about satisfaction guarantees and refunds, including withholding clear information about available remedies. Stipulated order
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- SHOP GROCERY STORES NEAR YOU: Instacart connects you with over 85,000 supermarkets and stores across North America.
- Redeem in the app: Sign up for Instacart or log into your existing account Enter the main menu Tap Credits, promos & gift cards Enter the code Redeem on the website: Sign up for Instacart or log into your existing account Click Account or your name Click Add promo or gift card Enter the code
- No returns and no refunds on gift cards.
For subscription offers that use a negative-option feature—where a consumer’s silence or failure to cancel can result in recurring charges—Instacart must clearly and conspicuously disclose material terms before collecting billing information. Those terms include recurring charges, charges after a trial, deadlines to stop charges, and the price or price range. The order requires express, affirmative consent before charging the consumer. Stipulated order
Was Instacart found liable?
The order is a stipulated resolution, not an admission of liability. It states that Maplebear neither admits nor denies the complaint’s allegations, except for facts necessary to establish the court’s jurisdiction. The FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection Director Christopher Mufarrige characterized the agency’s position in the December 18 announcement: “Instacart misled consumers by advertising free delivery services—and then charging consumers to have groceries delivered—and failing to disclose to consumers that signed up for a free trial that they would be automatically enrolled into its subscription program.” That statement describes the FTC’s allegations and view, not a judicial finding. FTC announcement, Dec. 18, 2025 · Stipulated order
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- GROCERY SHOPPING MADE EASY: Get your entire grocery store list delivered in as fast as 30 minutes. Prefer pick up? Order your groceries online, pick up at your local store, and skip the fees and tipping.
- GROCERY COUPONS AND DEALS: Discover exclusive deals and grocery coupons found only on the Instacart app.
- SHOP GROCERY STORES NEAR YOU: Instacart connects you with over 85,000 supermarkets and stores across North America.
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- Redeem in the app: Sign up for Instacart or log into your existing account Enter the main menu Tap Credits, promos & gift cards Enter the code Redeem on the website: Sign up for Instacart or log into your existing account Click Account or your name Click Add promo or gift card Enter the code
Why does the FTC case page say “Pending”?
The FTC case listing shows “Pending” and gives January 14, 2026, as its last-updated date. That label is older than later agency material: the court entered the stipulated order on January 13, 2026, and later FTC testimony says the money was paid. For the order’s status, the dated court order and later FTC material are more informative than the case listing’s stale status label. FTC case listing · Stipulated order · FTC testimony, 2026
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- GROCERY SHOPPING MADE EASY: Get your entire grocery store list delivered in as fast as 30 minutes. Prefer pick up? Order your groceries online, pick up at your local store, and skip the fees and tipping.
- GROCERY COUPONS AND DEALS: Discover exclusive deals and grocery coupons found only on the Instacart app.
- SHOP GROCERY STORES NEAR YOU: Instacart connects you with over 85,000 supermarkets and stores across North America.
- THOUGHTFUL GIFT: Share the gift of time by taking a chore off a friend’s or family’s to-do list. Perfect for new parents!
- Redeem in the app: Sign up for Instacart or log into your existing account Enter the main menu Tap Credits, promos & gift cards Enter the code Redeem on the website: Sign up for Instacart or log into your existing account Click Account or your name Click Add promo or gift card Enter the code
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- GROCERY SHOPPING MADE EASY: Get your entire grocery store list delivered in as fast as 30 minutes. Prefer pick up? Order your groceries online, pick up at your local store, and skip the fees and tipping.
- GROCERY COUPONS AND DEALS: Discover exclusive deals and grocery coupons found only on the Instacart app.
- SHOP GROCERY STORES NEAR YOU: Instacart connects you with over 85,000 supermarkets and stores across North America.
- THOUGHTFUL GIFT: Share the gift of time by taking a chore off a friend’s or family’s to-do list. Perfect for new parents!
- Redeem in the app: Sign up for Instacart or log into your existing account Enter the main menu Tap Credits, promos & gift cards Enter the code Redeem on the website: Sign up for Instacart or log into your existing account Click Account or your name Click Add promo or gift card Enter the code
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