Amazon Access, an initiative that aggregates discounted services and features in one online portal, could help brands with qualifying products connect with millions of customers using SNAP EBT and Cash EBT or facing other budgetary issues.
Amazon Access can be viewed at amazon.com/access. There, products feature buttons for SNAP-eligible groceries, Cash EBT-eligible items like kitchen appliances and pantry staples. Brands also can offer exclusive deals and discounts, and Amazon offers Prime membership for half price ($6.99 per month pending eligibility with a registered EBT card).
SNAP EBT refers to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program’s payment method, the Electronic Benefits Transfer card. Colloquially, the payments are sometimes still called “food stamps,” referencing the former name of the Food Stamp Program. Cash EBT is financial assistance for low-income families to pay necessities like rent, transportation or childcare.
“Many Americans live in areas with low access to healthy food, face mobility challenges, work long hours, simply wish to avoid carrying heavy groceries on public transit, or are struggling to make ends meet,” says Nancy Dalton, director of Amazon Access. Amazon Access helps address these challenges by delivering SNAP covered items.
Who needs this service?
Financial access to online grocery delivery could help connect manufacturers with qualifying products to the nearly 13% of Americans who live in low-income and low access tracts, per the USDA estimates. This means that these people experience poverty and live a challenging distance from a supermarket or large grocery store. The measurements for the USDA’s Food Access Research Atlas originated using data from 2010 and most recently use data from 2019. An interactive map to view specific geographic areas is available on the USDA website.
Amazon Access targets a far-reaching consumer base. More than 42 million Americans depended on SNAP in the fiscal year 2023. In New Mexico, that was as high as 23.1% of the population. That number is nearing 43 million so far in 2025. The Congressional Budget Office estimated that 3.2 million people under age 65 will lose SNAP benefits under the One Big Beautiful Bill’s new work requirements.
To better understand low-income customers’ needs, Amazon works with USDA MyPlate and community organizations such as Urban League, GenYouth and HBCYouth.
“One common misconception is that using your EBT card in Amazon Stores or enrolling in our grocery subscription offering requires a Prime membership,” says Dalton. Yet, she explains that customers can shop without a Prime membership and use the Discounted Grocery Delivery Subscription with a registered EBT card for $4.99 per month.
“We also know we have a lot of work left to do in building awareness of these important cost-saving and convenience resources,” she says.
One campaign for awareness was Amazon Prime Day, July 8-11, which extended to Amazon Access customers.
Walmart runs an online grocery delivery program that accepts EBT, called Walmart+. DoorDash accepts EBT Snap for purchases at select 7-Eleven locations, Duane Reade, Food Lion and other retailers. Yet Amazon remains the leader in e-commerce, followed by Walmart.
“Developing Amazon Access was rooted in making sure that Amazon is there for customers throughout their journey, especially when they need us the most,” says Dalton.