In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, independent grocers are working to accommodate unprecedented consumer demand for online grocery orders, but only a limited number of grocery retailers are currently approved to accommodate SNAP customers with online ordering. Although 40 states have launched SNAP online purchasing, independent grocers have been left behind while larger competitors participating in the original pilot program have moved into states across the country.
This has caused great concern for family-owned, privately-held grocers who face technical challenges and barriers to participate, such as lack of resources or financial capacity.