The new 8% service fee change on Flashfood, screenshot on January 13, 2026
I’m writing this blog post on a whim upon finding out the new Flashfood service fee because it is appalling, dishonest, and sneaky.
I first started using Flashfood in mid-2023 to buy discounted grocery items at 50% off the retail price because the item was either nearing its “best before date” or the store had surplus stock and needed to sell it. It was AMAZING because I got to buy our essential items for a lower cost and our family of five (back then) was able to save a ton of money and combat the rising costs of groceries.
On April 11, 2024, users were informed by Flashfood via e-mail that they were updating their Terms of Use, among which there was going to be a newly added service fee of 5% implemented “to support the Flashfood platform and create a secure, enjoyable experience that protects your data”. I understood this and while I did not enjoy having to pay 5% and then have tax charged on TOP of the 5%, I was happy to pay it because it meant that my favourite food-saving app could stay afloat and hopefully expand to more major retailers. The 5% service fee began showing up on my Flashfood receipts on May 1, 2024.
It is now January 13, 2026 and since the last service fee implementation, there have been no new major supermarket stores (in my area — Greater Toronto Area) added to the app. Sure, employees in the stores have been posting more items on to the app than before, but there have been no other improvements or store additions.
Thank you for the comment, Red!
Today, January 13, 2026, I was informed by a lovely reader on my blog that Flashfood has suddenly INCREASED the service fee from 5% to 8%!!! WTF?!? Why was there no announcement or e-mail sent to users ahead of time about this significant change? It is so sneaky and dishonest to the existing users. What is the +3% increase for? There has been no reason or explanation. (I checked my order receipts and the 8% fee had begun as of January 6, 2026.)
I promote and share about Flashfood to my friends and family ALL the time. It is the best app we use to feed our family for cheap and now it is hard to fathom paying another 3% more. Moreover, the fact that Flashfood didn’t even tell us about this increase is gravely disheartening and shatters my trust in the company.
This is a rant, and I know it will show up in Google searches once word gets about how the new Flashfood 8% service fee. At minimum, this blog post will serve as a historical bookmark to document the changes that Flashfood is making to their service fees:
- May 1, 2024: Flashfood adds 5% service fee.
- January 6, 2026: Flashfood increases service fee from 5% to 8%.
I’m SO disappointed in you, Flashfood. I cannot believe you would pull the wool over our eyes like this.
Update: I commented on their IG feed and they replied with this:
Screenshot from Instagram
This reply from Flashfood enrages me even more. So “variable” means that they can now change the service fee percentage to anything at any time in the future?! Why would I buy near-dated items from a store that aren’t fresh for basically one quarter of the original price only? You are shooting yourself in the foot, Flashfood.
stenoodie 
I share your disappointment/outrage about this “secret” fee increase. Going from a 5% to an 8% fee may not be huge in terms of dollars to some (but will surely be to others), but the manner in which the change is being implemented (no notice) does not in any way foster trust. Is anything that they’ve said about their business model, ownership and objectives true? This is especially so because the concern about lack of notice was raised when the 5% was originally implemented and has clearly been ignored.
I initially assumed that Flashfood was just unethically sneaking a 60% fee increase (5% to 8%) across the board (all users), but now that they are updating their description of their fee and being much more vague about it (just that a variable fee is applied to each order)
1. they could now change the fee from 8% to to 25% overnight and not need to either update their website or provide any kind of notice because the fee involved is entirely at their discretion! We just need to trust them!
2. it’s quite possible that they are creating tiers of clients and raising fees selectively. You seem to be a frequent user, I’m a frequent user, and our fee is now 8%, but who’s to say that everyone’s is? maybe not everyone is having their fees raised? maybe some are having their fees raised to 15%? maybe they’ve determined that some clients are saving too much money? maybe some of those savings need to be clawed back by means of greater fees?
Flashfood is a great idea and app, but I’ve never been convinced that it is in fact a third party app devoted to keeping food out of the landfill; is it possible that the company actually has a far less noble mission: it is simply devoted to salvaging some cash from the stores’ expiring items that would otherwise be thrown out (total loss)?
My suspicion is that Flashfood’s “partner” Loblaw is the actual owner of the app (have you noticed that neither of their Toronto competitors Metro or Sobeys makes use of this app for their stores? why would that be? could it be because they are aware of the truth of the situation?) and some genius has just decided that while a 5% fee was serving to cover operating costs (so a break-even situation), an 8% fee will turn Flashfood into a profit centre, which could serve to supplement the Loblaw bottom line by effectively clawing back some of the discounts which were originally advertised!
I’m just speculating as to what’s going on, but there’s really no other choice here because of the vagueness/dishonesty/lack of corporate transparency in place.
My personal response to this corporate behaviour has been to cut back my use of this app significantly (by more than the 60% of their fee increase). I like the savings, but I dislike the behaviour even more.
I just noticed this today too after noting the high fees now. All my orders from less than a dollar to $ 18 were charged an 8% across the board fee. I am a frequent user and have saved $ 7400 in about three years. It is deceptive to go from no fees to what they claimed was a modest five percent fee to soon after up it another 3%. The nerve! COPILOT LINKED ME TO YOUR BLOG. Still a great app though.
Oh, the savings! Meanwhile, my siblings call it rotten food. They don’t get it.
Agree, it’s so sneaky and dishonest to the loyal users of Flashfood. I understand with the rising costs of everything that at the minimum they could have announced the 3% increase, but to say nothing is disappointing.
I just checked my stats and I’m at $7,500 of savings too since I began using it in 2023! 🙂