Albertsons Companies Begin Accepting SNAP and EBT Benefits for Online Pickup Orders
By Robert Davis
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Albertsons and its subsidiary businesses in Colorado now accept Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) payments for online pickup orders, the Colorado Department of Human Services announced on November 25.
The company rolled out the new payment option at nearly 200 DriveUp and Go locations across the country. This payment option is also available at select Safeway, Vons, Tom Thumb, Randalls, Jewel-Osco, and Carrs locations.
“As Colorado continues to battle the COVID-19 crisis, safe access to food is more important than ever,” CDHS Food and Energy Assistance Director Karla Maraccini said in a statement. “These resources help individuals and families access the nutritious food they need to survive while lessening the risk of exposure to COVID.”
Participating stores will have an “EBT” icon on their website. To pay with a SNAP EBT card, beneficiaries can create an account on their local store’s website, fill their cart, and choose “SNAP EBT” as their payment method. Store associates help beneficiaries complete the transaction when they pick up their groceries.
“We are so excited to extend the ease of DriveUp & Go to more customers,” Chris Rupp, Albertsons EVP and chief customer & digital officer, said in a statement. “Customers love the convenience of contactless shopping, and now even more of our neighbors can take advantage of the benefits of digital grocery shopping.”
In May, the US Food and Drug Administration enabled CDHS to launch SNAP EBT benefits for online orders from retailers like Amazon or Walmart. Soon thereafter, King Soopers began accepting EBT cards for online orders.
Advocates like Ellie Agar with food resource nonprofit Hunger Free Colorado applaud the move to accept EBT, saying it’s a necessary step to addressing the disparities in food security across Colorado’s communities.
A survey conducted by Hunger Free Colorado in October found COVID-19 had tripled food insecurity in the state, primarily among Black and Latinx communities. Almost 40 percent of these communities face food insecurity when compared with 25 percent of white communities.
The survey also found 10 percent of Coloradoans have cut back on meals to make ends meet during the pandemic and 45 percent of households with kids are food insecure.
"We're glad to see more grocery retailers are accepting SNAP EBT cards online. This allows Coloradans to prioritize their health and safety through contactless grocery pick-up,” Agar told the Denver VOICE in an emailed statement. “Additionally, almost 70 percent of SNAP participants are in households with children; the convenience of being able to order online saves time and lets them easily compare items to find healthy, affordable food for their families."