Uber Eats said it would begin accepting Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits for groceries beginning next year, following the nationwide rollout of SNAP acceptance at Instacart.
“We know that online food delivery can have a meaningful impact in reducing barriers to fresh groceries, especially for the most vulnerable – including people living in food deserts, seniors, and those facing disabilities or transportation barriers,” Uber Eats said in a blog post announcing the new service.
The company made the announcement as part of a post about new ways it was helping shoppers save money. In addition to accepting SNAP benefits, Uber Eats also said it was working with Managed Medicaid and Medicare Advantage plans to begin accepting Flexible Spending Account Cards, Flex Cards, and relevant waiver payments on Uber. Certain payment capabilities will be ready in 2024, according to the blog post.
“This is yet another way we are simplifying how people can access healthy foods and connect with their local grocers in new ways,” the company said.
Uber Eats is also planning to introduce a new shopping feature called the Sales Aisle, which aggregates promotions and deals that are available in a customer’s area is one section of the Uber Eats app.
“With Uber Eats Sales Aisle, you’ll be able to quickly access a curated selection of the best ways to save near you,” the company said.
The moves come as rival Instacart recently said it had begun accepting SNAP benefits in all 50 states.
DoorDash, which has also been making an aggressive push into the grocery delivery space, has also said it plans to work with retailers on accepting SNAP benefits and has worked with local partners to provide more healthy food options.
The ability to use SNAP benefits online has been slowly gaining traction, according to an article on The Verge. Walmart accepts SNAP payments for grocery pickup in some states, as does Kroger, and Amazon Prime accepts SNAP payments for online orders in most states, the article said.
