That grocery app search result isn't showing you the best deal — it's showing you who paid the most

When you search for a product category on a grocery app like Checkers Sixty60, the results aren't random — they're influenced by which brands have paid for keyword placement. Search "tea" and Five Roses appears first; the far cheaper Checkers own-brand equivalent – Forage & Feast - doesn't show up at all unless you search for it by name – and it’s currently R20 cheaper per 102-bag pack. Same product, same shelf, very different visibility. Big brands pay for that prime digital real estate, but it could mean that you pay more as a result.