Instacart, an online grocery store, announced the start of accepting electronic payments under the Electronic Benefits Transfer for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (EBT SNAP) throughout the United States.

Currently, the company is accepting SNAP in the virtual mode in all 50 states and Washington, DC, with more than 120 retail banners and more than 10,000 stores. The firm’s activities cover almost 95% of households registered with SNAP. The relevant information is contained in the company’s press release, which was published last Thursday, August 10.

Dani Dudeck, Director of Corporate Affairs at Instacart, says that expanding the scope of activities contributes to the fulfillment of the firm’s mission. He noted that the company is modernizing access and connecting more communities to nutritious food at affordable prices. According to him, from now on SNAP families in every state have the opportunity to take advantage of virtual purchases at various retail stores that match their gastronomic preferences, financial capabilities, and needs.

Instacart works in conjunction with the Food and Nutrition Service of the US Department of Agriculture (USDA FNS). The company started the registration process in the retail sector in 2020. The firm is making efforts to expand access to SNAP online payments.

The company’s press release indicates that the results of industry research indicate that virtual food stores help families overcome mobility barriers, improve budget management, help plan a diet, and allow save time and money in the process of using benefits.

The firm notes that SNAP recipients and low-income families who interact with digital shopping platforms buy more fruits and vegetables compared to visitors to traditional stores and their total costs do not increase. Instacart has developed a preferential membership in Instacart+ so that SNAP members get additional access to same-day delivery and pickup.

Sarah Mastrorocco, vice president and general manager of Instacart Health, said that the company’s experience shows that food delivery can be a significant factor in expanding access to proper nutrition. Separately, she noted that the launch of SNAP online reception in Alaska increases the number of people who are supported in the area of nutrition.

Instacart’s competitor in the aggregator market DoorDash in June announced the addition of the ability to accept SNAP EBT payments. Also, many grocery stores, such as Walmart and Kroger, have implemented payments of this category in their direct order channels and the storefronts of third-party outlets.

As we have reported earlier, RBI Introduces Conversational Payments With AI Involved.