For the past few years, grocery delivery felt like a subsidized luxury. Venture capital and aggressive market share wars allowed shoppers to have avocados and milk delivered to their doorsteps for little more than the cost of a tip. However, as 2025 comes to a close, the era of cheap same-day delivery is drawing to a close. Major retailers and third-party platforms are shifting their focus from rapid growth to immediate profitability, resulting in a quiet but significant tightening of delivery fees, order minimums, and service charges.
