Report Reveals Significant Price Markups on Groceries via Wolt App

A new investigation by C14 has uncovered that the rapid delivery service Wolt significantly inflates prices on basic food items, often by tens or even hundreds of percent, compared to major supermarket chains. These inflated prices are evident even before factoring in delivery fees, service charges, and tips.

The report highlights five specific daily products where consumers pay considerably more through the Wolt app. For instance, a 2-liter container of Materna Stage 2 formula costs 66.90 shekels on Wolt, versus 64.90 shekels at Shufersal Online. Huggies Stage 5+ diapers are priced at 49.90 shekels on Wolt, compared to 44.90 shekels at Shufersal Online, with Shufersal also offering a 3-pack for 100 shekels. Huggies wet wipes are 22.90 shekels on Wolt, while Shufersal Online sells them for 27.90 shekels. Materna porridge costs 19.90 shekels on Wolt, compared to 14.90 shekels at Shufersal Online. Finally, Materna puree is 7.50 shekels on Wolt, compared to 6.50 shekels at Shufersal Online.

These price discrepancies suggest that using the app for quick top-ups or small purchases can be very costly. When the inflated product prices are combined with additional fees, the overall cost becomes a disadvantageous deal for Israeli consumers already grappling with the high cost of living.

Wolt responded to the findings by stating that prices on their platform are determined solely by the businesses. They emphasized that Wolt offers a wide selection of supermarkets and products at various price points, and all prices are transparent, allowing consumers to compare and make informed choices.