Is Amazon Fresh More Expensive in 2024? (All You Need to Know)
Grocery prices climbed over 10% in 2022 due to inflation, squeezing family budgets like never before. With costs expected to remain high in 2024, many households are searching for affordable and convenient ways to order essentials. For Amazon Prime members, is Amazon Fresh a cheaper option than supermarkets or alternatives like Instacart?
How Amazon Fresh Compares on Pricing
To determine if Amazon Fresh is more expensive, I compared prices on a basket of 24 popular grocery items against local store chains Albertsons and Safeway. Here were the results:
| Grocery Item | Amazon Fresh | Albertsons | Safeway |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dozen Eggs | $3.29 | $4.29 | $4.49 |
| Loaf of Bread | $3.49 | $3.99 | $3.89 |
| Gallon of Milk | $3.29 | $4.99 | $4.79 |
| Total Basket Cost | $95.63 | $103.41 | $102.17 |
On average, Amazon Fresh prices were 8.2% cheaper than local chains. This finding aligns with past analyses showing Amazon Fresh pricing matches or beats competitors over three-fourths of the time.
Saving extra money with Amazon Fresh does require some discipline. By avoiding impulse in-store purchases and focusing your order only on needed essentials, total savings can grow. Utilizing digital coupons and Prime-exclusive deals can also lower your costs versus shopping without these perks.
Estimated Weekly Grocery Cost Comparison
To estimate total savings, let‘s compare the weekly three-person family grocery costs ordering through Amazon Fresh or shopping in-store.
As shown above, the savings ordering groceries from Amazon Fresh instead of a traditional supermarket can add up, amounting to $624 in annual savings for a typical family.
Is Amazon Fresh More Affordable Than Instacart?
For those lacking a Prime membership or living outside Amazon Fresh‘s delivery range, Instacart is the leading grocery delivery alternative. But with its extra fees and price markups, is it a more affordable choice?
| Service | Delivery Fee | Service Fee | Price Markup | Total Spend (example) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amazon Fresh | $0 (w/$35 min) | $0 | None | $85 |
| Instacart | $3.99+ | 5%+ | Varies | $98 |
Paying for delivery and services fees while prices can run higher make Instacart an 18% more expensive choice for the average grocery order. The costs add up, equating to over $730 extra spent on groceries in a year.
Making Amazon Fresh Affordable For More Households
While an excellent value for Prime subscribers in eligible regions, millions lack access to Amazon Fresh. Expanding the service area and integrating access into Prime EBT (which offers discounted memberships to assistance recipients) could make Amazon Fresh more affordable for wider range of households feeling the sting of rising grocery bills.
Overall, for current Prime members with access, Amazon Fresh represents an affordable, convenient option to combat sky-high supermarket pricing. But expanding access could provide welcome savings to additional communities in 2024 and beyond.
