Instacart Provides Discount for SNAP Recipients
Instacart announced on Friday a 50% discount on grocery orders for customers using SNAP benefits, hoping to alleviate some financial pressure as food aid payments are set to be cut by the government.
The discount will be available to those placing orders in October with SNAP or EBT cards, even if government assistance is not disbursed until scheduled on November 1. Additionally, Instacart plans to increase its support for food banks, expanding from 100 to 300 locations for online food drives.
The San Francisco-based grocery delivery service indicated that the total funding for both initiatives will reach $5 million.
“Given the current disruptions to SNAP funding and the anticipation of longer lines at food banks, we’re dedicated to providing immediate, practical support—helping families access groceries and enabling food banks to stock up for their communities,” stated Instacart CEO Dani Dudek.
Instacart is among several large companies reacting to the USDA’s decision to pause payments to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program starting November 1, amidst a government shutdown.
Meanwhile, Gopuff, a fast-delivery company based in Philadelphia, has announced it will provide $50 worth of free groceries in November for customers with SNAP or EBT linked accounts. Gopuff mentioned it would allocate up to $10 million for this effort.
DoorDash also revealed its plans, stating they would waive service and shipping fees on about 300,000 orders for SNAP recipients in November. They’re collaborating with 25 grocery partners, including major chains like Sprouts and Dollar General, to facilitate this initiative.
Additionally, DoorDash said it would deliver 1 million free meals sourced from food banks. The platform has noted that over 2.4 million customers have linked their SNAP or EBT cards to their DoorDash accounts.
In another effort, Zip, which operates a “buy now, pay later” service, has introduced a temporary fee-free installment plan for SNAP recipients needing assistance with grocery purchases if federal payments are delayed beyond November 1. Customers interested in this option need to fill out a form through the Zip app.
Originally from Australia, Zip has partnered with Forage, a firm that manages government payments for retailers, but the company hasn’t disclosed the number of its active users who are also SNAP recipients.
Instacart has not shared how many of its customers benefit from the SNAP program. However, the company began taking online SNAP payments in 2020 and currently offers discounted memberships and free shipping on orders exceeding $35.
