Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) beneficiaries in Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Idaho, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Washington D.C. are now able to use their nutrition assistance benefits to order groceries online from Amazon as well as other participating retailers and have them delivered directly to their door, thanks to a pilot program launched with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). As of this week, SNAP recipients in these 25 states and Washington D.C. can use their benefits online, with more states expected to follow.
Amazon enthusiastically volunteered to work with the USDA and participate in this landmark pilot because we believe in the goals of this program and its potential to significantly extend the value of SNAP benefits. In addition to enabling SNAP EBT as a payment method, Amazon has made Amazon Fresh available to SNAP recipients in select states without a Prime membership, with free shipping available on Amazon Fresh and Amazon Pantry.
With online acceptance of SNAP, Amazon’s selection, competitive pricing, and home delivery can improve the grocery shopping experience for SNAP participants, while also helping them extend their benefits further. Access to Amazon’s grocery selection, as well as Amazon Fresh and Pantry, increases access for low-income residents by adding a new SNAP redemption option and the convenience of home delivery. As we expand participating areas throughout the life of the pilot, Amazon believes the program will dramatically increase access to food for more remote customers.
Amazon is proud to continue participating in the USDA SNAP Online Purchasing Pilot, and we remain committed to making food accessible through online grocery shopping, offering all customers convenience, time savings, and low prices.
