Instacart to remove priority access in Seattle

In a blog post, Instacart (CART) stated: “At Instacart, we regularly introduce new ways to support and reward the shoppers who pick, pack, and deliver groceries to families across the communities we serve. That’s why we invested heavily over the last few years in Cart Star – a rewards program designed to recognize and celebrate the dedicated shoppers who provide excellent service to customers every day… Unfortunately, the City of Seattle is requiring Instacart to eliminate Cart Star’s priority access benefit, with the city’s Office of Labor Standards claiming that it violates the App-Based Worker ordinance. We strongly disagree with this interpretation, but we are committed to compliance. As a direct result of the Office of Labor Standards’ decision, Seattle shoppers will lose priority access beginning February 25, 2026. For shoppers in Seattle, this means priority access to batches will no longer be available in the city, even though we know this is a benefit shoppers overwhelmingly value, with over 75% of Seattle shoppers viewing it favorably based on a 2025 survey.”