Walmart Launches Discounted Walmart+ Membership Program for Govt. Aid Recipients

Walmart has launched a new version of its Walmart+ membership program to help lower income individuals afford a membership.

Walmart+ Assist offers customers on government assistance 50% off a monthly or annual Walmart+ paid membership plan. Walmart+ gives members free shipping and grocery delivery, nationwide gas discounts and video streaming with Paramount+ at no extra cost.

“Walmart+ Assist was designed to do exactly what’s in the name: assist those who need it most,” Venessa Yates, SVP and General Manager for Walmart+, wrote in a blog post. “We’re making it easier and more accessible for government-assisted customers to become members and take advantage of the full suite of savings Walmart+ has to offer them.”

 With Walmart+ Assist, priced at the discounted rate of $6.47/month or $49/year, the retailer says that members can save over $800 per year on delivery from stores, over $500 per year with free shipping and more.

The program is available to all eligible new and existing members. Existing members who qualify and sign up will receive a prorated refund and the new price will start immediately.

The launch of Walmart+ Assist comes months after the expiration of the COVID-19 related SNAP Emergency Allotments (EA) program, which gave recipients a boost in monthly benefits. Recent data from Numerator showed that among SNAP recipients, Walmart is the top destination given its low prices. Walmart captures over a quarter (25.5%) of SNAP shoppers’ grocery dollars annually, compared to 20% for Non-SNAP shoppers.

In 2019, Walmart was one of the first retailers to begin taking part in the USDA’s SNAP Online Purchase pilot. With the recent addition of Alaska into the program, Walmart is the first retailer to accept SNAP benefits online in all 50 states.