Food delivery service Uber Eats has come under fire after images emerged of the same product being sold at different prices to customers.
The images, posted online in December, showed the price of a Coles brand roast chicken costing $12.52, $13.75 and $14.98 on three different phones.
The customer, who posted the video and goes by the name Price Check Guy, asked his followers if they too had “encountered this.”
He said wildly different prices were offered despite being “ordered from the same location” and “delivered to the same address.”
“The only difference is the person placing the order,” he said.
Several social media users claimed to have also experienced price differences and were furious at the lack of transparency.
‘I found out this happens with shipping rates, I tried it with PC, phone and a friend’s phone. All prices are different,’ wrote one.
“They do this with their rideshare too, at the same locations, just different users,” said a second.
Australians criticized food delivery service Uber Eats after a customer revealed prices for the same product varied between different accounts (file image)
Some theorized that the varying prices could be due to different shipping rates and responsibilities of passengers picking up the order.
‘Could it be that one option is for the driver to go to the store to pick up the person and the other option is for clerks to pick up and deliver the items directly to the driver?’ one asked.
“Uber has tiered accounts that you can sign up for that change prices and delivery cost, etc.,” another noted.
Price Check Guy claimed all accounts were using the lowest level available and still didn’t know what was causing the difference.
“It was never a good feeling to be charged more because an algorithm decided so,” he said.
Others said they had stopped using Uber because restaurants and stores started charging more to cover the commission per order, which can be as high as 30 percent.
“The prices on almost everything are highly inflated compared to direct in-store orders, and they still charge a service and delivery fee,” one wrote.
Another asked: ‘If they charge “service + delivery” fees, why am I also paying a secret, hidden fee?’
Even though the same Coles brand roast chicken was ordered from the same store and same location, the price varied between $12.52 and $14.98 between accounts (pictured)
Some claimed the changed prices were due to dynamic pricing that is also used for airfare, live event tickets and vacation rentals.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) says the changes are in response to “periods of high demand”.
“Surge pricing or dynamic pricing is not illegal, but businesses need to be clear about the price consumers will pay,” the ACCC website reads.
“Nor should they make false or misleading claims about their prices.”
Daily Mail Australia has contacted Uber Eats for comment.