The US Department of Agriculture, in partnership with states, territories and retailers across the country, continues to expand the ability for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) participants to conveniently shop online for groceries. More than 150 additional retail chains are now offering online shopping for SNAP participants, representing thousands of physical stores. Working with state agencies and supplier partners, the USDA has expanded SNAP online shopping availability to 49 states and the District of Columbia, bringing online shopping access to more than 99% of all SNAP participants.
“Online grocery shopping is a convenient, safe way to shop for groceries while saving SNAP participants time and money,” said Stacy Dean, Deputy Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services. “Increasing the diversity of our online retailers is a critical component of our food security goal to enable greater access to healthy, safe and affordable food.”
In July 2022, just over 3 million SNAP households shopped online, a significant increase from March 2020 when approximately 35,000 SNAP households shopped online.
In the past 4 months, 44 retailers have been added to the program representing 1,240 store locations. Some of these retailers include: Schneiders of Kirkwood in New York, 78 Target stores in Minnesota, and 10 Buehler’s Fresh Foods stores in Ohio.
The USDA actively provides technical support to all stakeholders interested in offering SNAP online shopping and is committed to bringing a more diverse and broader range of new grocers online, with a focus on smaller, independent stores.
Visit the SNAP Online website for more information about the program and the full list of merchants eligible for SNAP online shopping. The USDA also recommends visiting your local retailer’s website to find out if grocery delivery is available for your location.
The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, also known as the ARP, allocated $25 million for EBT modernization to be used through FY2026. As part of this modernization commitment, the USDA has taken the following actions:
Announcing the SNAP EBT Modernization Technical Assistance Center grant, which will use up to $5 million from the ARP to provide much-needed technical assistance to retailers offering online shopping.
The USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service uses its 15 nutritional assistance programs to ensure children, low-income individuals and families have opportunities for a brighter future through equal access to safe, wholesome and nutritious food while building a more resilient food system. Led by Secretary Tom Vilsack, FNS fights to end food and nutrition insecurity for all through programs like SNAP, School Lunches and WIC. FNS also provides science-based nutritional advice through co-development of Dietary Guidelines for Americans. To learn more, visit www.fns.usda.gov and follow @USDANutrition.
