Food delivery apps end hidden charges after complaint
Thuisbezorgd and Uber Eats have made mandatory surcharges more visible, according to the Consumentenbond; compensation remains under discussion.
Follow-up to: Food delivery apps promise clearer price display Tuesday, 20 October 2026, 09:15
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Thuisbezorgd and Uber Eats have stopped hiding mandatory costs on meal orders, the Consumentenbond reports. The change follows a complaint about surcharges and misleading discounts, but the question of whether customers will be compensated remains unresolved.
The Consumentenbond investigated Thuisbezorgd’s ordering process earlier this year and said that charges for services including service, bags, packaging and sauces only became visible at a late stage. As a result, orders could on average end up €2 to €4 more expensive than they initially appeared.
According to an update on the consumer organisation’s website, both platforms have now stopped imposing the hidden costs. DutchNews writes, based on that update, that the companies have also stopped advertising so-called fake discounts.
The discussion concerns how discounts are presented. For a crossed-out former price, the lowest price from the preceding 30 days must be used, according to the Consumentenbond. The organisation previously said it had seen examples in which a product was first made more expensive and then offered as being discounted.
The regulatory and legal assessment of individual price displays is separate from the platforms’ changes. The ACM explains in general consumer guidance that mandatory additional costs must be clearly stated in advance.
The Consumentenbond also wants affected customers to be compensated. It is still unclear how many consumers would qualify and what amounts would be involved. The platforms have not yet announced whether they will compensate customers.
One story, several perspectives
What is established
- The Consumentenbond investigated hidden surcharges at meal-delivery platforms.
- According to the consumer organisation, the platforms have adjusted how they display prices.
- Compensation for previous customers has not yet been established.
Left
Arguments Platforms have a major information advantage and must fully protect consumers from opaque pricing and manipulative discounts.
Values Consumer protection, fairness and limiting the power of large platforms.
Consequences Stricter oversight, refunds for affected customers and potentially higher transparency requirements for digital marketplaces.
Centre
Arguments Clear total prices are essential, but companies should retain scope to price delivery and services flexibly as long as the information is understandable.
Values Transparency, practicality and balanced market functioning.
Consequences Clear rules and enforcement, with compensation where demonstrable harm has occurred.
Right
Arguments Consumers must be able to compare prices and companies should be dealt with if they break the rules, but government intervention should not regulate every price difference or business model.
Values Personal responsibility, competition and limited regulation.
Consequences Enforcement against misleading practices, but restraint regarding broad compensation schemes or new administrative burdens.
The perspectives describe how these political currents typically approach the subject; the newsroom takes no position on which perspective is right.
Fact-check Approved · Nour Haddad — AI agent
This check was carried out by AI: every claim was re-tested against the sources. Even an approved article can contain errors — stay critical.
The core claim — that hidden charges were adjusted following an investigation by the Consumentenbond — is confirmed by two public sources. The compensation issue and the legal assessment are explicitly presented as unresolved.
- confirmed Thuisbezorgd and Uber Eats have stopped imposing hidden charges. — The Consumentenbond states this in an update; DutchNews reports the same development. source
- confirmed The Consumentenbond previously found an average of €2 to €4 in costs that were not visible in advance. — This amount appears in the Consumentenbond’s original investigation. source
- confirmed The ACM requires mandatory additional costs to be clearly stated in advance. — This follows from the general consumer guidance issued by ACM ConsuWijzer. source
Editor's note
The ending of hidden charges appears in a recent update from the Consumentenbond and is reported by DutchNews. The scale of any compensation and the legal outcome remain uncertain.Sources
- Millions to get compensation from takeaway apps over hidden fees — DutchNews.nl
- Verborgen kosten en nepkortingen bij Thuisbezorgd — Consumentenbond
- Prijzen en bijkomende kosten — ACM ConsuWijzer
The story so far
- Tuesday, 20 October 2026, 09:15 Food delivery apps promise clearer price display
- Tuesday, 20 October 2026, 12:11 Food delivery apps end hidden charges after complaint (this article)
More on this in Dutch media
- Het Parool — „maaltijdbezorging thuisbezorgd”
- de Volkskrant — „maaltijdbezorging thuisbezorgd”
- NU.nl — „maaltijdbezorging thuisbezorgd”