Instacart has enabled the acceptance of Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) payments for online Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) purchases through its platform in an additional 10 states, including Albertsons Cos. and Sprouts Farmers Market.
San Francisco-based Instacart said Monday that SNAP recipients can use the Instacart app to order groceries for delivery or pickup from grocery stores in 49 states and Washington, DC and pay directly with their EBT cards. This now includes stores in Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Louisiana, Montana, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming.
On the retail side, grocery stores can process SNAP EBT payments for Instacart orders using the Carrot Payments component of the Instacart platform, the online delivery giant’s enterprise solution suite. The feature includes orders placed through the Instacart app as well as through grocers’ own digital properties built with Instacart’s Carrot Storefront and Carrot Storefront Pro platform modules. Grocery retailers can also use Carrot Payments to accept other types of digital payments, including Apple Pay and PayPal.
Albertsons now allows SNAP recipients to use EBT to pay for grocery orders through the Instacart app, while Tops Friendly Market SNAP customers can do so through both the Instacart app and the grocer’s Instacart-powered e-grocery website can do.
With the expansion, Instacart now supports SNAP EBT payments for more than 60 retail banners in over 8,000 stores, reaching nearly 30 million people affected by food insecurity, according to Instacart.
“We’ve long been committed to expanding online adoption of EBT SNAP, and we’re proud to bring this important service to people in 10 more states in partnership with grocers that people know, love and care about trust,” Sarah Mastrorocco, vice president of Access to Food and Nutrition at Instacart, said in a statement. “Our partners offer a wide variety of fresh groceries and pantry staples, and with this expansion, we’re giving more families access to groceries, coupled with the convenience of same-day delivery and pickup. We look forward to further expanding this program and enabling more retailers to accept EBT SNAP payments online via the Instacart platform.”
Albertson’s Cos. Based in Boise, Idaho, SNAP enables customers to use EBT to shop for groceries and essentials through the Instacart app from four supermarket banners, including Albertsons, Pavilions, Safeway and Vons. SNAP beneficiaries who shop online through Jewel-Osco can also use EBT to pay for grocery orders placed through the banner’s website or app.
“Research shows that a large percentage of EBT recipients face mobility issues due to a disability, lack of transportation or caring for young children, which can prevent them from physically visiting a store. As a trusted community grocer dedicated to solving food insecurity, we want to make healthy food available to vulnerable people by offering multiple private, safe and convenient shopping options,” said Susan Morris, Chief Operating Officer at Albertsons Cos. “This program allows shoppers to use their EBT cards to make online purchases for home delivery or free in-store pickup, which is a critical part of our ongoing effort to create a flexible and convenient shopping experience for all customers .”
Plans are to roll out SNAP EBT functionality to additional banners on Albertsons Cos. online store this summer and later this year via the retailer’s digital services and Instacart. roll out. Albertsons currently offers same-day delivery to more than 2,000 stores via 21 banners via Instacart.
Albertson’s Cos. SNAP accepts EBT payments for online grocery orders through the Instacart app or through its retail banners’ proprietary apps and digital storefronts at Albertsons, Pavilions, Safeway, Vons and Jewel-Osco.
Phoenix-based Sprouts enables customers in 23 states to use SNAP EBT to buy groceries online for delivery or pickup at its more than 380 stores through the Instacart app. Through the partnership, the companies also launched Sprouts’ white-label e-commerce storefront, powered by Carrot Storefront Pro.
“Sprouts is a leader in making fresh food of the highest quality accessible to all. Online shopping for delivery and pickup offers our customers the accessibility and convenience that fits any lifestyle,” said Nick Konat, Sprouts President and Chief Operating Officer. “Through this expanded partnership with Instacart, we can offer our customers the ability to leverage their SNAP benefits when ordering their fresh and nutritious groceries online, giving them greater convenience, accessibility and affordability.”
Northeast Grocery Inc., formed by the merger of Price Chopper/Market 32 and Tops Friendly Markets, also offers SNAP EBT online payments through the Instacart platform. Customers who place orders through the Instacart app or the Carrot Storefront Pro website at Price Chopper/Market 32 can use SNAP EBT to checkout at over 120 stores in New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania and Vermont. This functionality is also available in more than 70 Tops stores in New York, Vermont and northern Pennsylvania.
“At Price Chopper/Market 32, we strive to provide our customers with not only a great in-store shopping experience, but also a seamless, affordable and accessible online shopping experience,” commented Blaine Bringhurst, President of Price Chopper/Market 32. “Our partnership with Instacart enables us to deliver on that promise through their comprehensive e-commerce experience for same-day pickup or delivery, which enables payment with EBT SNAP on the Instacart app as well as on our own website www. pricechopper.com and facilitates our Price Chopper Mobile App.”
Instacart noted that Price Chopper/Market 32 and Tops Friendly Markets introduced SNAP EBT payments in the Instacart app in 2021 and have now integrated acceptance on their Storefront Pro eCommerce sites.
“Tops Friendly Markets has been an Instacart partner for a number of years, leveraging our extensive network of neighborhood stores to meet the need for immediate delivery and curbside pickup for customers in the area,” said John Persons, President of Tops. “Our evolving partnership continues to grow and now includes digital/mobile, catering and EBT SNAP solutions to offer even greater affordability and convenience.”
Supercenter retailer Meijer, which covers locations in Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and Wisconsin for delivery from more than 250 stores, also accepts SNAP EBT payments for Instacart app orders.
