Instacart Releases 1st Economic Impact Report

As Instacart closes out the year as a newly-public company, the grocery technology platform has published an inaugural Economic Impact Report mapping out its performance among retailers, shoppers, customers and brands. One topline finding is the bottom line: Instacart reports that it has added nearly $8 billion in incremental revenue for the grocery industry in the United States.

In addition to partnering with retailers to lift sales and help satisfy e-commerce shoppers, Instacart affirmed that it has impacted people’s livelihoods. According to a data-based analysis, Instacart added more than 231,000 brick-and-mortar grocery jobs and generated more than $15 billion in earnings for Instacart shoppers. 

“As the leading grocery technology company in North America, we’re proud to have helped generate billions of dollars in shopper earnings and retailer revenue while giving millions of hours back to families,” said Sarah Fleisch, Instacart’s senior director of policy research and development at Instacart. “In doing so, as this analysis shows, we’re helping power local economies in the communities we serve. We look forward to continuing to build new products and technologies that deliver measurable, sustainable value for every member of the Instacart community.”

[Read more: "SPECIAL REPORT: How Automation Is Changing the Grocery Game"]

The report includes other findings from Instacart’s internal review: 

• The service has saved customers more than 700 million total hours since it launched in 2012.
• Instacart services reaches 93% of households in areas considered food deserts.
• More than 10,000 stores representing over 120 banners across the U.S. accept SNAP EBT payments on Instacart.
• By enabling grocery pickup and delivery through Instacart, small grocery stores with between one and 49 employees have seen their revenue increase by more than $2 billion collectively.
• Nearly a third (31%) of the jobs that Instacart helps grocers create are for workers under the age of 25, and the company also provides comparatively more work opportunities for seniors. 
• Instacart’s growing advertising business has helped more than 5,500 brand partners reach new customers, with an average 15% incremental revenue lift. 

The data used to compile the report included an analysis of internal sales, ads and shopper data, along with shopper and consumer surveys and independent research by NERA Economic Consulting. 

Instacart partners with more than 1,400 national, regional, and local retail banners to facilitate online shopping, delivery and pickup services from more than 80,000 stores across North America on the Instacart Marketplace.