Does Thrive Market Accept EBT? The Electronic Benefits Transfer debit card system helps recipients of government assistance to make cashless transactions. EBT is part of SNAP, a Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program that provides low-income families with food stamps to buy groceries. Instead of buying groceries using food stamps, they now receive money through their EBT debit card and use it in any outlet that accepts it.
Thrive Market does not accept EBT. Thrive Market is an online membership-only store, meaning any purchases have to be made online. Unfortunately, the government has not approved the EBT debit card system for online transactions. However, Thrive Market made a petition to the USDA concerning this issue in 2016 and is awaiting approval.
What is the EBT Card?
The EBT system has replaced the old style of using paper stamps since 2004. While EBT at Thrive Market is impossible, other outlets accept it. Users of the EBT cards do not get charged processing fees, surcharges, or Sales Tax by Federal law. People registered on EBT receive a card with a PIN. Money is deposited to it from the government electronically.
Programs that benefit from EBT assistance are the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). Another is the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), a food assistance program for no-and-low-income people. EBT is also used to fund Temporary Aid for Needy Families (TANF).
The Electronic Benefits Transfer Debit card system can help a person access government financial help for food purchases. Therefore, EBT at Thrive Market and other grocery stores would be ideal for low-income food shoppers.
Retailers get paid for transactions made from their Point-of-Sale systems at the end of each business day. Transactions and balances are verifiable online, but one cannot use the card to make online purchases in many grocery stores.
Only retailers approved by the government’s system accept EBT cards. Recipients of EBT can access money from it from the point-of-sale terminal at a food market or an ATM. They cannot purchase alcohol, tobacco, non-food items, and supplements using it. Retailers have to wait for an online confirmation whenever the card is used to purchase from their stores.
Does Thrive Market Accept EBT?
Thrive Market is an online grocery store that sells consumer products at reasonable prices. It supports an ethical system of doing business, encourages healthy living, and sells various health products on its online platform.
Therefore, one would think that Thrive Market accepts EBT, but it doesn’t because the government has not yet approved it. However, it supports needy causes through other platforms like its Thrive Gives website.
One way that Thrive Market has found to help no-income and low-income families shop from its outlet is through a free membership. People on the list of special groups such as low-income families should apply for free membership on its online platform. Members of Thrive Market can save between 25 – 50 percent of the purchase price for items bought through the grocery store.
Someone can apply for free Thrive Market memberships from the Thrive Gives website. They will ask for income information, the number of people in one’s household, and whether anyone receives government assistance. Once approved, Thrive Market membership will enable one to receive discounts and gifts from the store.
Some of the items one can buy from Thrive Market are non-perishable goods, frozen meats, and seafood. The only thing one cannot buy from the store is grocery items such as eggs, dairy, fresh fruits, and vegetables.
Conclusion
Although the answer to the question of whether Thrive Market accepts EBT is No, the government is working on a solution. In the meantime, no and low-income shoppers can access free membership through the Thrive Gives Program. EBT recipients can provide their card information while registering for Thrive membership to qualify for great deals from the store.
Interested in finding out if other supermarkets accept EBT? Check out these articles.