Cheaper Groceries Aren't About AI—They're About Removing Middlemen

Delivery platforms extract 15–30% in commissions that inflate food prices across the supply chain, making 'being found online' one of the most expensive aspects of food retail. Rather than pursuing complex AI solutions, the author proposes a radically simple alternative: an open, free infrastructure where stores can list themselves directly without platform fees—exemplified by the Food Freedom Map built on the Nostr protocol. This approach could reduce grocery prices by over 30% by eliminating an unnecessary intermediary entirely.