The U.S. Department of Agriculture has told grocery stores they may not offer special discounts to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program recipients during the government shutdown, according to an agency notice emailed to retailers on Sunday.
Equal Treatment Rule Bars SNAP-Only Price Discounts
The message, shared publicly on X by MSNBC journalist Catherine Rampell, reminds stores of SNAP's "Equal Treatment Rule," which requires retailers to "offer eligible goods at the same prices and on the same terms and conditions" to SNAP customers as to all other shoppers. It adds that "offering discounts or services only to SNAP-eligible customers is a SNAP violation unless you have a SNAP equal treatment waiver."
Independent Grocers Say They'll Comply With USDA Rule
As per a report by The Hill, the National Grocers Association, which represents more than 21,000 independent supermarkets, said it received the notice and that members are complying.
"Independent grocers understand the importance of SNAP in helping families access nutritious food and are following all federal guidance to ensure every customer is treated equally," an NGA spokesperson said to the publication, adding that stores "remain committed to serving all customers with fairness and integrity" during the shutdown.
SNAP's equal-treatment requirement predates the shutdown and applies unless stores secure a federal waiver for incentive programs, USDA guidance shows. The rule bars both negative discrimination and preferential pricing tied to SNAP status.
Courts, USDA Scramble To Fund November Benefits
The email went out as courts and the administration sparred over how to keep November benefits flowing. On Monday, administration officials told a federal judge in Rhode Island they would tap roughly $4.65 billion from a contingency fund to provide partial November payments, following rulings from two federal judges late last week that ordered the government to use emergency funds to prevent a lapse. The administration also argued that drawing on other pots, such as the Section 32 Child Nutrition fund, posed "an unacceptable risk."
November SNAP benefits typically cost more than $9 billion for over 40 million recipients. With only partial funding identified so far, officials have warned it could take weeks for some states to deliver payments, even as food banks and retailers brace for added strain.
Read Next:
Photo Courtesy: rblfmr on Shutterstock.com
