Starting today, Thursday January 1, new restrictions on certain foods for SNAP beneficiaries will take effect in five US states.
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program supports around 42 million Americans by providing them with monthly benefits to enhance their food purchasing power, especially for low-income families and individuals.
This assistance is provided via EBT cards, which function similarly to debit cards, to aid recipients in purchasing healthier food options.
As we begin the new year, certain states are implementing changes regarding permissible purchases for those utilizing SNAP benefits.
In some areas, items such as candy and soda are now prohibited from being purchased with these benefits.
These new prohibitions are being enforced in five states: West Virginia, Utah, Indiana, Iowa, and Nebraska, starting on New Year’s Day.
The initiative is led by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, who argue against using public funds to buy unhealthy foods that may lead to health issues such as diabetes.
In a statement made in December, Kennedy emphasized, “We cannot continue a system that forces taxpayers to fund programs that make people sick and then pay a second time to treat the illnesses those very programs help create.”
Previously, SNAP participants could purchase a wide range of grocery items, with exceptions including hot food, alcohol, tobacco, and supplements.
Now, eighteen states have requested federal approval to broaden the list of prohibited food and drink items.
According to the BBC, the specific bans vary by state.
West Virginia and Utah are restricting only soda, while Nebraska is including both soda and energy drinks in their bans.
Indiana will prohibit the purchase of both soda and candy for SNAP users.
Iowa is implementing the most stringent rules to date, banning soda, candy, and other state-taxed packaged foods like chocolate-covered nuts and sweet popcorn.
Other states are set to introduce similar restrictions throughout 2026, with Florida and Texas adopting changes in April, South Carolina in August, and Missouri in October.
Experts warn that the current SNAP systems are not equipped to handle these new regulations.
Retailers depend on checkout software to identify SNAP-eligible items, but inconsistencies in banned food lists and varying state regulations pose challenges.
The National Retail Federation has cautioned that these changes might result in longer checkout times and increased customer dissatisfaction, as shoppers may only realize an item is not permitted upon scanning. Kate Bauer, a nutrition science expert at the University of Michigan, described it as “a disaster waiting to happen of people trying to buy food and being rejected,” according to ABC News.
Industry groups also suggest that the changes will incur significant expenses for retailers. A report from the National Grocers Association and other trade organizations predicts an initial $1.6 billion cost to update store systems, with an annual maintenance cost of $759 million. These expenses, advocates say, are unlikely to be absorbed by retailers alone and might lead to higher grocery prices for all consumers.
Gina Plata-Nino, SNAP director at the Food Research & Action Center, remarked, “Punishing SNAP recipients means we all get to pay more at the grocery store.”