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Friday, April 19, 2019

Amazon and Walmart testing program to let food-stamp recipients buy groceries online

Amazon and Walmart on Thursday are kicking off a two-year pilot established by the government to allow low-income shoppers on government food assistance in New York to shop and pay for their groceries online.

ShopRite will join the retailers early next week, said the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which oversees the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP. The USDA has long required that customers using electronic benefits transfer, or EBT, pay for their purchases at the actual time and place of sale. So the move marks the first time SNAP customers can pay for their groceries online.

ShopRite and Amazon are providing the service to the New York City area, and Walmart is providing the service online in upstate New York locations. The agency said the pilot will eventually expand to other areas of New York as well as Alabama, Iowa, Maryland, Nebraska, New Jersey, Oregon and Washington. The pilot will test both online ordering and payment. SNAP participants will be able to use their benefits to purchase eligible food items but will not be able to use SNAP to pay for service or delivery charges, the agency said.

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10 comments:

Anonymous said...

At least I won't have to look at them in their pajamas for awhile. They can shop from the comfort of their couch! smdh

Anonymous said...

Trump needs to STOP THIS.

Anonymous said...

Buying online using Comcast cable and their smartphone.

Anonymous said...

Please inform us as to why good sir. We are all waiting

Anonymous said...

Yeah right. SNAP does not cover the delivery costs and these people don't have cash on hand. Let the Dollar Store Deliver.

Anonymous said...

McDonalds, Burger King, and White Castle want to start accepting Food Stamps, (EBT) cards for counter sales!

Anonymous said...

Just another way to game the system.

Anonymous said...

If they are on SNAP how can they afford internet? And how will this be regulated? I can see a lot more cheating with people selling benefits for cash.

Anonymous said...

7:29 there is a special fee charged all of Cable customers to pay for free cable and internet for the poor. It is on your bill, it is called the "Universal Connectivity Fee". If you work, pay your bills, and taxes, you get Fu***d over and forced to pay for the freeloaders!

Anonymous said...

Oh so that explains what that charge is 12:02
Thats par for the course