EBT SNAP Tracking on Caper Carts: Maximizing SNAP benefits in-store with AI-powered smart carts

We know how hard it can be to keep track of how much your groceries cost when you're shopping in-store - and many of us have had that moment at the checkout counter when the total is higher than you expected. On top of that, getting to the checkout counter and learning that an item you selected isn't SNAP-eligible, and having to put the item back or pay out of pocket, can be an added frustration.

Today, we're excited to announce that we're making it easier than ever to shop in-store and track your SNAP benefits with Caper Carts. Families can now use Instacart Caper Carts, our AI-powered smart carts, to track their running grocery bill in real-time, identifying SNAP-eligible groceries and non-eligible spending totals while shopping. Caper Carts are the first smart carts to offer EBT SNAP-eligible item tracking for customers shopping in-store, making grocery shopping more accessible and convenient.

Available in select grocery stores, consumers can make sure they're maximizing their SNAP dollars using the Caper Cart digital screen. While shopping, the cart tracks running totals of SNAP-eligible and non-eligible groceries as items are added to the cart. To complete payment with Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) SNAP card, customers will visit the store's checkout area, where their Caper Cart basket will be transferred to the register. Customers can simply scan the barcode displayed on the cart's screen at the register and finalize payment with their EBT SNAP card.

Research by No Kid Hungry, the University of Kentucky, and Instacart showed that many SNAP households appreciate the anonymity and convenience of online shopping, in part because it helps avoid potential stigma associated with using SNAP benefits in-store.¹ With SNAP tracking directly on Caper Carts, we're bringing this online benefit into the physical store and simplifying the in-store shopping process. Caper Carts allow families to maintain privacy while tracking SNAP-eligible items in real-time, helping to maximize their budgets, save time and simplify the in-store shopping and checkout process.

Food insecurity impacts one in every eight people in the U.S. and more than 42 million people nationwide participate in SNAP. SNAP tracking on Caper Carts builds on the work we've done to ensure families across the country have access to affordable, nutritious foods. Many people don't realize they might qualify for SNAP benefits. In an effort to expand access and awareness, we recently launched a new SNAP eligibility screeneron our platform to empower families to determine if they qualify for essential food assistance through SNAP in less than 60 seconds. As the first online grocery platform to offer a SNAP screening tool to consumers, we're streamlining the eligibility and enrollment process and helping people get critical information about SNAP benefits as quickly as possible. With the SNAP screener available and SNAP tracking on Caper Carts, it's easier than ever to get the most out of your SNAP benefits, both online and in-store.

Instacart's mission is to give every family the flexibility and dignity to shop with their benefits from their preferred stores, while maximizing their dollars. In 2023, we became the first online grocery marketplace to offer online SNAP acceptance in all 50 states and Washington, D.C., and today, we can connect nearly 98% of U.S. households enrolled in SNAP to nearly 180 retail banners and over 30,000 stores online across North America. SNAP tracking on Caper Carts takes us one step further towards helping families maximize their budgets and access nutritious foods.

Caper Cartsare Instacart's AI-powered smart carts designed to streamline the checkout process and personalize the overall shopping experience. Available in more than 60 cities in the U.S., Caper Carts are part of Instacart's Connected Storessuite of in-store technologies.

¹ No Kid Hungry. (2022, September). Online grocery shopping and SNAP: A study on access and opportunity. Retrieved from https://www.nokidhungry.org/sites/default/files/2022-09/NKH-Instacart-Online-Shopping-Micro-Report-v2.pdf