Simplifying SNAP: Instacart’s new tool helps families determine eligibility in less than 60 seconds

Instacart is an essential tool for millions of families, helping them access affordable, nutritious food from trusted local grocers. Customers say our platform is essential for their well-being and general quality of life, and many rely on Instacart because the platform is a need-to-have service for access to food.¹ 

We’re dedicated to using our technology to help connect every person in the U.S. with healthy food, and today we’re advancing this effort by launching a new Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) eligibility screener on our platform, powered by Advocatia Solutions, Inc. The tool is designed to help families quickly determine if they qualify for essential food assistance through SNAP. In less than 60 seconds, they can anonymously check if they may be eligible and get quick access to the most relevant state resources, helping streamline enrollment. This is the first time an online grocery platform has offered a SNAP screening tool to consumers, making it easier than ever for people to check their eligibility and immediately find the resources they need to enroll.

Bridging the Gap in Food Access

Food insecurity impacts one in every eight people in the U.S., yet many don’t realize they might qualify for SNAP benefits, which could provide an average of $350 a month in grocery assistance, depending on factors such as household size and income.² We’re proud to be the first online grocery platform to launch a SNAP screener, building on years of product innovation, partnerships, and policy advocacy to expand access to nutritious food nationwide. 

Research conducted by No Kid Hungry, the University of Kentucky, and Instacart has shown that online grocery shopping can offer significant benefits to low-income families, including those enrolled in SNAP, enabling them to stretch their food budgets, save time, reduce stress, and purchase more produce without increasing their overall grocery spend. Currently, Instacart offers the best selection of grocers that accept SNAP online anywhere, allowing nearly 98% of SNAP-enrolled households to shop from over 30,000 stores, including trusted regional and national grocers like Publix, Costco, and Kroger. Our mission is to give every family the flexibility and dignity to shop with their benefits from their preferred stores, with the convenience of same-day delivery. 

To broaden this impact, we’re extending our SNAP eligibility tool to our partners in healthcare, helping them connect families with food assistance resources directly in clinical settings.

Strengthening Food Access Through Healthcare Partnerships

Through our Instacart Health initiative, we’ve established partnerships with healthcare organizations like the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC). As the largest primary care network in the U.S., serving over 32.5 million people nationwide, NACHC can now recommend and leverage our SNAP eligibility tool in clinical settings to quickly connect patients with relevant state resources. This tool can play a vital role in helping people understand and apply for available benefits, enhancing their ability to access nutritious food.

Policy Advocacy to Expand Food Security

Stretching grocery budgets is a priority for every family, and we’ve designed features that help every customer maximize their dollars. We see affordability as innovation, and we’re dedicated to offering the most affordable experience possible. In addition to expanding online SNAP acceptance and other payments through our Health Wallet, we’ve built in-app affordability features like the Personal Digital Flyer that brings the weekly grocery circular online; $0 delivery fees on grocery orders delivered next day; and loyalty card integrations with hundreds of retailers, helping all Instacart customers save more on their groceries. In the past year alone, Instacart has helped customers save more than $1.1 billion through the Instacart Marketplace with deals, discounts and loyalty savings. For SNAP families specifically, we also offer a discounted Instacart+ membership (50% off, with $0 delivery fees on orders over $35) to help ensure participants can access the benefits of online grocery and delivery. 

Making Groceries More Affordable and Accessible

Stretching grocery budgets is a priority for every family, and we’ve designed features that help every customer maximize their dollars. We see affordability as innovation, and we’re dedicated to offering the most affordable experience possible. In addition to expanding online SNAP acceptance and other payments through our Health Wallet, we’ve built in-app affordability features like the Personal Digital Flyer that brings the weekly grocery circular online; $0 delivery fees on grocery orders delivered next day; and loyalty card integrations with hundreds of retailers, helping all Instacart customers save more on their groceries. In the past year alone, Instacart has helped customers save more than $1.1 billion through the Instacart Marketplace with deals, discounts and loyalty savings. For SNAP families specifically, we also offer a discounted Instacart+ membership (50% off, with $0 delivery fees on orders over $35) to help ensure participants can access the benefits of online grocery and delivery. 

Everyone deserves access to nutritious food. By launching our SNAP eligibility screener, advocating for food access programs like Summer EBT, and partnering with healthcare, we’re breaking down barriers to improve nutrition security nationwide. As we look ahead, we remain committed to using our technology, partnerships, and advocacy to create a more equitable food system – one where every family, regardless of their circumstances, has the support and resources they need to put nutritious food on their tables.

1.  Based on a survey of active SNAP customers for the month ended January 30 2022.
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2.  U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service. (2024, October). Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) monthly data – Fiscal year 2024. Retrieved from https://fns-prod.azureedge.us/sites/default/files/resource-files/snap-4fymonthly-10.pdf
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Dani Dudeck

Author

Dani Dudeck is the Chief Corporate Affairs Officer at Instacart.