WHEELING, W.Va. – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has warned grocery stores that they cannot offer discounts or special deals exclusively to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients during the ongoing federal government shutdown.
In the Ohio Valley, the Neely’s Grocery store in East Wheeling announced last week that it was offering a 10 percent discount on select items to shoppers using SNAP benefits.
In a notice posted on the USDA’s website, the agency said that SNAP-authorized grocers “must offer eligible goods at the same prices and on the same terms and conditions” to all customers. The notice also stated that offering discounts or services “only to SNAP paying customers” constitutes a program violation unless the store has received a federal waiver.
The government shutdown, which began on October 1, has placed financial strain on federal programs, including SNAP, which serves more than 40 million Americans.
