Dive Brief:
- Southeastern Grocers announced Wednesday it has partnered with NationsBenefits, a provider of supplemental benefits and fintech healthcare solutions, to allow select shoppers to purchase approved healthy groceries and over-the-counter items.
- The offering is available to eligible Medicare Advantage and Medicaid members of NationsBenefits through their plan-sponsored funds distributed via the healthcare company’s flex benefit card program.
- Southeastern Grocers’ new direct point-of-sale integration builds on industry-wide efforts to make healthy food and wellness items more accessible to shoppers across tax brackets.
Dive Insight:
Shoppers are now able to purchase pre-approved healthy foods, pantry staples, wellness essentials and over-the-counter medications at all Harveys Supermarket and Winn-Dixie locations through NationsBenefits’ flex benefit card program, according to the press release. Southeastern Grocers made the purchase option available in January.
NationsBenefits’ flex benefit card program allows health plans to offer members a way to pay for eligible items as well as approved services, per the announcement. Members also receive a personalized debit card that gives them access to funds that are loaded on a monthly, quarterly or annual basis.
Southeastern Grocers announced a similar partnership with InComm Payments in August 2023, joining the healthcare company’s over-the-counter network that enables shoppers to buy healthy foods and other wellness products with employer or health plan-sponsored funds.
Consumers are showing growing trust in grocers as more look to them for health and wellness guidance — and grocers are responding. Currently, 70% of surveyed food companies operate health and nutrition strategies, according to a recent FMI — The Food Industry Association report.
Dollar General also announced this week it started accepting supplemental health benefits as a payment method chainwide for goods such as food, over-the-counter medicines and wellness items.
In March 2023, Albertsons announced customers with FIS and Soda Health-integrated benefit cards can purchase eligible food and health items across all of the grocer’s banners.
Instacart has also spearheaded a number of food-as-medicine initiatives in recent months, including linking up with Wellness West in October 2023 to offer grocery stipends to people on the West Side of Chicago who are facing barriers to healthy dietary options. Consumers can also combine the stipend with other food benefit programs, such as SNAP or eligible supplemental health benefits.
