With the price of goods on the rise Uber Eats has announced that it will soon allow particpants of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to order fresh groceries from its app.
SNAP is widely seen as the most important anti-hunger programme in the U.S. Previously known as the Food Stamp Programme it provides benefits to low-earning families and individuals based on their income and certain expenses. People using SNAP receive monthly funds through a benefits card, similar to a debit card, typically to buy groceries at local stores or farmers’ markets.
In June 2020, at the peak of the pandemic it had 43 million total particiapnts. This had declined to about 41 million people by February 2022. Previous figures shows that at least, up until the pandemic, two-thirds of SNAP participants were families with children.
According to Uber Eats, all participants can begin using the service through its app in 2024. Last month, Instacart also expanded its SNAP benefits programme across the U.S. In addition, the Uber Eats has said it is working with Managed Medicaid and Medicare Advantage plans to support benefits that help members stay healthy, like accepting FSA Cards, Flex Cards, and relevant waiver payments on Uber. Select payment methods will be ready next year, too.
The company has also launched a new AI-powered conversational shopping experience. Later this year, consumers will be able chat with the AI assistant to explore new dishes and cuisines, find deals on popular restaurants, and reorder favorite meals to help save money and time.
Meanwhile, the new Uber Eats Sales Aisle will offer individual customers a curated selection of the best ways to save near their location. The Sales Aisle combines promos and deals into one space and is designed to remove the hassle of long searches through the app
