Does Whole Foods Accept EBT Online? (Food Stamps + More)


Does Whole Foods Accept EBT Online

Have you ever asked yourself or your friend if Whole Foods accepts EBT online? Well, you are at the perfect place to find the answer to such a question.

Unfortunately, EBT is not currently accepted when shopping online for groceries at Whole Foods. As things currently stand, EBT is only accepted in Whole Foods’ physical stores, where EBT participants can shop for eligible grocery products. Orders made online through Amazon are also not eligible for payment using EBT. 

In the rest of this article, we look in more detail at whether Whole Foods accepts EBT as a form of payment when shopping online. 

Does Whole Foods accept EBT online?

EBT is currently not accepted as a form of payment for grocery orders made online at Whole Foods, including Whole Foods Delivery.

EBT cannot be used as payment for either online delivery orders or for orders which have to be picked up in store. This means Whole Foods will only accept EBT in their physical stores.

EBT is also not available as a form of payment when ordering Whole Foods groceries through Amazon.

Amazon is the owner of Whole Foods and you can order Whole Food products through their website. However, they do not currently accept EBT on orders made online.

Read also: Does Whole Foods Accept Links (EBT, SNAP)

Does Whole Foods accept EBT in store?

Every physical Whole Foods store throughout the country will accept EBT as a valid form of payment. Whole Foods accept EBT as payment for items that are deemed SNAP-eligible, which is usually confined to specific nutritious food items, seeds and plants to grow your own food, and non-alcoholic beverages.

In Whole Foods stores, EBT can be used for payment in the form of either a payment card or as cash. In store, you can pay for your grocery items using many forms of payment, including gift cards, cash, or debit cards. EBT is included in this list and works similarly to these other payment methods.

What is EBT?

EBT refers to the Electronic Benefit Transfer system, which is a method of paying benefits directly on to a payment card that works a bit like a debit card.

Typically, benefits programs like SNAP and WIC are paid through EBT and loaded onto the card to be used for purchases of eligible items.

What can be bought in Whole Foods using EBT?

Items that can be purchased using EBT in Whole Foods stores are somewhat limited, as the list is refined to only SNAP-eligible products.

Let’s look at some of the things you are able to purchase in store using EBT:

  • Fruits and vegetables,
  • Dairy items like cheese, milk, and yogurt,
  • Non-alcohol soft drinks,
  • Poultry and meat products, including frozen seafood,
  • Seeds and plants for growing your own food.

However, there are also some restrictions as to what can be purchased using EBT. Some of the items which are not deemed eligible and so cannot be purchased using EBT benefits include:

  • Liquor and alcohol,
  • Gambling and lottery products,
  • Pet food and items,
  • Vitamins and medicines,
  • Toiletries and personal items,
  • Cigarettes and tobacco. 

Which stores do accept EBT online?

Some grocery stores have recently allowed the use of EBT when making purchases online in some states, either to be delivered to you or to be picked up in store.

EBT can be used to pay for online grocery deliveries from stores like Amazon and Walmart, as well as a number of participating Safeway and Albertsons stores. 

The number of online stores which accept EBT as payment is growing all the time and many states, like California, are constantly working to add more eligible stores to the list.

In the future, there should be many more stores ready to accept EBT as payment for the online purchase of groceries.

Read also: What Grocery Stores Accept EBT Online? (120 Shop For Groceries With SNAP Benefits)

Why is EBT not available online everywhere?

The majority of states currently allow EBT funds to be used to make online payments. However, the issue is that retailers have to be signed up to the program in order to accept EBT as payment, and the number of retailers currently signed up is very small.

The number is expected to grow over the next few years. 

Do Whole Foods accept programs like WIC?

In most of its stores, Whole Foods will currently accept funds from benefit programs including WIC, the program aimed at providing financial support to pregnant women, infants, and children.

However, not every store will accept WIC as a specific form of payment, so it’s suggested that you call ahead to check.

Pros and cons of Whole Foods’ EBT policy

Pros

  • Being able to use EBT in Whole Foods’ physical stores is a great advantage to many of the people who rely on it to fund their grocery and household needs. As there are also plenty of Whole Foods stores, it opens up the amount of people who are able to use their EBT effectively.

Cons

  • One of the major downsides of not being able to use EBT online at Whole Foods is that it cuts off a lot of customers who cannot shop physically. A lot of customers who are disabled or unable to go out shopping rely on online shopping to get things they need. A large number of these people are also likely to use or be eligible for EBT.

Final Thoughts

Whole Foods do not accept EBT as a form of payment for online orders, including any Whole Foods Delivery orders.

Although Whole Foods products are often also available to purchase online through Amazon, EBT cannot be used through this method of shopping either.

EBT can be a lifeline for people struggling financially, but for now, it is only available for use in stores.

References

https://www.cdss.ca.gov/ebt-online

https://www.modernretail.co/retailers/why-many-online-grocers-still-cant-accept-snap-customers/

Lindsey

Lindsey graduated with an MBA in 2009. Since then, Lindsey has worked in the retail and consumer service industry as a manager, advisor, and marketer. Lindsey is also the head writer and Co-founder of Rvandplaya.com. Lindsey is based in Morgantown, West Virginia.

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