Wal-Mart (WMT) is expanding its online grocery pickup service to include shoppers using food stamp benefits, said the big-box retailer.
"We think this is a service that should be available to everyone," said Wal-Mart's VP of E-Commerce Operations Mike Turner in a corporate blog post.
People using EBT (Electronic Benefits Transfer) cards can pay for purchases when they pick them up.
The service is only being offered in five stores — one in Houston and four in Boise, Idaho — but will be rolled out to more markets "through the holiday season and beyond," he said.
Wal-Mart shares rose 0.1% to 80.05 in the stock market today. Wal-Mart is in a flat base with an 82.09 buy point.
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"Looking ahead, we have to think this will become a widely accepted practice across the industry, not just at Wal-Mart, which could be a modest negative for both Dollar General and Family Dollar (owned by Dollar Tree) given that both retailers presently don't have an online grocery presence," wrote Gordon Haskett analyst Chuck Grom in a Tuesday report, noting that food stamps generate around 5% of sales for Wal-Mart.
In early June, Amazon (AMZN) announced that those on U.S. government assistance would be able to sign up for Prime membership for the discounted price of $5.99 a month, down from the usual price of $10.99 a month.
Amazon shares fell 0.4% to 969.86, their 4th straight decline.
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