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Instacart announced today that it will expand its EBT SNAP payments program to all Instacart retail grocery partners by 2030. The company launched EBT SNAP payments in November 2020 and has since expanded the program to include over 60 retailers. The payments program is available in 49 states and will expand to Alaska next year. Instacart offers EBT SNAP acceptance through the Instacart Platform, a suite of enterprise-grade solutions that help enhance and digitize retail experiences.
The company also says it will allow customers to shop on Instacart using their Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) benefits next year. TANF is a government cash assistance program that helps low-income families purchase everyday essentials. Instacart says the addition of TANF payments will give customers more ways to pay for household items, such as diapers, which aren’t currently covered by EBT SNAP benefits.
Instacart made the announcement as part of the launch of “Instacart Health,” which is a new initiative designed to delivery ingredients for healthy living. As part of the initiative, Instacart is launching “Health Tags” to allow customers to view up to 23 item-level tabs when they shop. The tags aim to give shoppers information about things like low-salt or low-sugar products. They can also be used as a guide if you’re on Keto or managing a gluten sensitivity, for example.
The Instacart app will also feature popups to inspire healthy lifestyles. For instance, customers will see a Vegan Favorites pop-up and a Low Sodium Lifestyle pop-up in the coming weeks.
The company is also introducing Care Carts, which give healthcare providers and caregivers the ability to order grocery on behalf of someone else. The new product can be used by caregivers who want to send groceries to a friend or family member from afar. It can also be used by a clinician who wants to deliver groceries for a patient’s prescribed meal plan.
In addition, Instacart is launching Fresh Funds, a new product that allows organizations to give people funds to buy nutritious food from grocery retailers on Instacart. Organizations such as non-profits or health systems can use an Instacart digital stipend to give people easier access to healthy foods. In the coming weeks, Instacart is launching a Fresh Funds pilot with Partnership for a Healthier America to expand its “Good Food for All” nutrition access and incentive program in Indianapolis.
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