Instacart Hits 50-State Milestone for SNAP Acceptance
Online grocery platform Instacart has reached a new milestone for fighting food insecurity and expanding access to its service.
With the recent addition of seven Safeway locations in Alaska, Instacart is now the first and only online grocery marketplace to accept Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Benefits (SNAP) in all 50 states and Washington D.C. This marks the completion of the commitment Instacart made in 2022 as part of the launch of its Instacart Health initiative and the White House National Strategy on Hunger, Nutrition and Health to bring SNAP online in all 50 states this year.
Instacart now offers online SNAP acceptance from more than 120 retail banners across more than 10,000 stores, more than any other online grocery marketplace. Recent data from Numerator showed that following the expiration of the SNAP Emergency Allotments (EA), shoppers using SNAP benefits shifted to buying more private label products.
"Our mission is to create a world where everyone has access to the food they love. By expanding online SNAP acceptance to all 50 states, we're delivering on our mission by modernizing access and connecting more communities to affordable and nutritious foods," said Dani Dudeck, chief corporate affairs officer at Instacart. "Now SNAP families in every state can enjoy the benefits of online grocery from a variety of local retailers that meet their unique tastes, needs and personal budgets. We're proud to have reached this landmark alongside USDA, state agencies, and our retail partners across the country, and we look forward to continuing this work to ensure every family can access the food they need to thrive."
Instacart first brought SNAP online in 2020, working closely with the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service (USDA FNS) to expand access to online SNAP payments across the country. According to the USDA FNS, more than 42 million people, over 12% of the U.S. population, are enrolled in SNAP. With the expansion into Alaska, Instacart now reaches nearly 95% of U.S. households enrolled in SNAP.
"USDA is committed to ensuring every family has access to affordable, nutritious food, and we recognize the important role of private sector leaders in expanding equitable access to SNAP online shopping," said Stacy Dean, deputy under secretary for Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services. "Such partnerships strengthen our collective commitment to advancing President Biden's National Strategy on Hunger, Nutrition and Health."