Provision record
Instacart · Instacart Privacy Policy · View original document ↗

Retail Data Program

High severity Medium confidence Inferred from context Common · 288 of 352 platforms
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Document Record

What it is

Instacart operates a program through which aggregated and potentially de-identified purchase and behavioral data from its platform is licensed to consumer packaged goods brands and retail partners for advertising and market research purposes.

This analysis describes what Instacart's agreement states, permits, or reserves. It does not constitute a legal determination about enforceability. Regulatory applicability and practical outcomes may vary by jurisdiction, enforcement context, and individual circumstances. Read our methodology

ConductAtlas Analysis

Why it matters (compliance & governance perspective)

The Retail Data program means that your grocery purchase patterns and related behavioral data may be licensed to the brands whose products you buy, enabling those brands to target you with advertising based on your Instacart shopping history.

Interpretive note: The full scope and mechanics of the Retail Data program are described in sections of the policy not fully reproduced in the provided document text; the characterization above is based on partial disclosure language and may not capture all program limitations or safeguards.

Clause Stability Stable

0
Changes
4
Months Monitored
May 12, 2026
First Seen
May 22, 2026
Last Seen
This clause type exists across 4430 other provisions on other platforms.

Consumer impact (what this means for users)

The policy discloses a Retail Data program under which purchase data, including items browsed, added to cart, and purchased, may be shared with or licensed to consumer packaged goods companies; this is operationally distinct from standard service provider data sharing and represents a secondary commercial use of consumer shopping behavior.

What you can do

⚠️ These actions may provide transparency or partial mitigation but may not fully address the underlying issue. Effectiveness varies by jurisdiction and individual circumstances.
  • Opt Out of Arbitration
    Visit instacart.com/privacy-choices to review and adjust data sharing preferences. Contact privacy@instacart.com to request information about how your data is used in the Retail Data program.

How other platforms handle this

Tinder Medium

we may share data between our affiliates for the safety and security of our users and may take necessary actions if we believe you have violated these Terms, including banning you from our Services and/or our affiliates' services...

Skillshare Medium

Protect us, our business, our users, and others, for example to enforce our terms of service, prevent spam or other unwanted communications, and investigate or protect against fraud

Squarespace Medium

Each payment processor uses and processes your complete payment information in accordance with its applicable privacy policy (Stripe and PayPal).

See all platforms with this clause type →
▸ View Original Clause Language DOCUMENT RECORD
"
We collect Personal Information as described in the "Information We Collect" section below. We describe the business and commercial purposes for which we collect that information below under "Information Uses." We describe our disclosures of Personal Information, including why and to whom we make them, below under "Information Disclosures."

Excerpt from Instacart's Privacy Policy

ConductAtlas Analysis

Institutional analysis (regulatory & governance intelligence)

REGULATORY LANDSCAPE: The Retail Data program engages CCPA/CPRA to the extent that data shared with CPG brands constitutes a sale or sharing of personal information.

Insight

Unlock the full institutional analysis

Enforcement risk, jurisdiction flags, contract triggers, and due diligence action items.

Applicable agencies

  • Federal Trade Commission (ftc)
    Oversees unfair or deceptive business practices and can investigate companies that mislead consumers about data collection, sharing, or use.
    Who can file: Anyone affected by the company's practices (US or international)
    What you need: Your account details, a timeline of relevant events, and a description of the specific issue
    What to expect: Complaints inform FTC enforcement priorities and investigations but do not result in individual resolution or compensation
    File a complaint →

Applicable regulations

CCPA/CPRA
California, USA
Connecticut Data Privacy Act Amendments
US-CT
CAN-SPAM
United States Federal
FTC Act Section 5
United States Federal
GDPR
European Union
Indiana Consumer Data Protection Act
US-IN
Kentucky Consumer Data Protection Act
US-KY
Universal Opt-Out Mechanism Expansion 2026
US

Provision details

Document information
Document
Instacart Privacy Policy
Entity
Instacart
Document last updated
May 5, 2026
Tracking information
First tracked
May 10, 2026
Last verified
May 12, 2026
Record ID
CA-P-011275
Document ID
CA-D-00136
Evidence Provenance
Source URL
Wayback Machine
Content hash (SHA-256)
aba0a87d78dda7d8740ded6c96497978686971b179d2c14db3a5dea26ab78183
Analysis generated
May 10, 2026 17:21 UTC
Methodology
Evidence
✓ Snapshot stored   ✓ Hash verified
Citation Record
Entity: Instacart
Document: Instacart Privacy Policy
Record ID: CA-P-011275
Captured: 2026-05-10 17:21:27 UTC
SHA-256: aba0a87d78dda7d8…
URL: https://conductatlas.com/platform/instacart/instacart-privacy-policy/provision/CA-P-011275/retail-data-program/
Accessed: Aug. 25, 2026
Permanent archival reference. Stable identifier suitable for legal filings, compliance documentation, and research citation.
Classification
Severity
High
Categories

Other risks in this policy

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Frequently Asked Questions

What does Instacart's Retail Data Program clause do?

The Retail Data program means that your grocery purchase patterns and related behavioral data may be licensed to the brands whose products you buy, enabling those brands to target you with advertising based on your Instacart shopping history.

How does this clause affect you?

The policy discloses a Retail Data program under which purchase data, including items browsed, added to cart, and purchased, may be shared with or licensed to consumer packaged goods companies; this is operationally distinct from standard service provider data sharing and represents a secondary commercial use of consumer shopping behavior.

How many platforms have this type of clause?

ConductAtlas has identified this type of provision across 288 platforms. See the full comparison.

Is ConductAtlas affiliated with Instacart?

No. ConductAtlas is an independent monitoring service. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Instacart.