Dive Brief:
- H-E-B announced Friday that is now offering online Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) payments for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) participants across its curbside pickup and home delivery services.
- The Texas grocer initially rolled out SNAP online ordering to select stores in May. The service is now available at hundreds of locations, including H-E-B's 230 stores that offer curbside pickup.
- Food stamp recipients are seeing more e-commerce options become available across the U.S. and in the Lone Star State, which joined the federal government’s SNAP online pilot this spring.
Dive Insight:
H-E-B’s expanded foray into SNAP online ordering grows the number of grocers in the Lone Star State that are a part of the federal government’s program to make it easier for food stamp recipients to order groceries online.
Texas is one of the dozens of states that have joined the USDA's SNAP online pilot this year, coming on board in May with Amazon and Walmart as participating retailers. A few weeks ago, Aldi stores started offering the service through Instacart in the state.
In addition to offering payment online, H-E-B is offering extra services for SNAP customers. Shoppers will be able to see their SNAP EBT card balance, filter items by SNAP eligibility when looking for products and see which items in their online cart qualify for their benefits. H-E-B noted that prices may vary from online and in-store, but that online prices are the same for all customers.
As with other online SNAP rollouts, participants will need to have a second payment option, like a credit, debit or gift card, ready when placing an online order with H-E-B to cover non-eligible SNAP items and fees. Orders for same- and next-day curbside pickup have a personal shopper fee of $4.95, while orders placed more than two days out are free. Delivery orders carry a $5 fee and can be placed up to seven days in advance.
H-E-B said in the announcement that it plans to expand curbside pickup to more than 250 locations — with most of those also offering home delivery — by the end of 2021.
More Texas grocery stores will soon start offering SNAP online payments. The USDA announced in early November that three banners under Tyler, Texas-based Brookshire Grocery Company — Brookshire’s Food and Pharmacy, Fresh by Brookshire's and Spring Markets — are expected to join the pilot as well.
The USDA's online SNAP pilot is now available in 46 states and Washington, D.C., following a rapid rollout this year as food assistance rolls swelled during the pandemic.
