Instacart Just Launched A New Campaign To Support Food Banks Across The Country

In its infancy, the late 1990s and early 2000s, online grocery shopping struggled to take hold and captivate consumers. Even in 2019, Gallup reported that 81% of U.S. consumers had never purchased groceries online. However, that all changed when the pandemic impacted people's ability or desire to shop in stores when the percentage of people polled that said they used online grocery shopping services soared to 78.7% (per Supermarket News). The trend seems here to stay as Insider Intelligence reports that digital grocery sales are projected to reach $243 billion dollars in 2025, nearly doubling what they were in 2021.

While click-and-collect services are available from most grocery retailers, Instacart is one of the primary providers of delivery services. Making groceries more accessible and easier for consumers to purchase, the grocery delivery giant is able to provide its service to approximately 95% of households in the United States.

While Instacart is committed to improving the ease of shopping for, and accessibility to, food for people across the country, they are also focused on helping individuals and families struggling with food insecurity. The brand recently announced its newest Community Carts campaign. In a partnership with Feeding America, Instacart hopes to help those affected by the expiration of emergency COVID-19 SNAP benefits.

As explained in the press release, Instacart's effort to help SNAP recipients is twofold. Starting March 1 the company plans to offer the option for users of the platform to donate food to community food banks with all service and delivery fees waived.

"As grocery budgets tighten for millions of SNAP recipients and lines stretch longer at food banks across the country, accessing affordable, nutritious food has never been harder. At Instacart, we're committed to finding more ways to support food banks nationwide so they can continue to serve their communities and feed more families," said Instacart Chief Corporate Affairs Officer Dani Dudeck.

Instacart will also be extending its discounted Instacart+ membership for SNAP recipients which offers a half-price monthly fee, free pickup and delivery for orders over $35, and a reduction in service fees.

This isn't the first time Instacart has stepped up in recent years to help people struggling with food insecurity. In 2021, the company ran its first weeks-long Giving Tuesday campaign, allowing users to donate meals to those in need. Then, in May of 2022, Instacart partnered with Food Lifeline for the return of its Stamp Out Hunger campaign. And in late 2022, the company ran a Community Carts campaign that let users buy foods that people in the community listed as needs on the app.

In addition to these initiatives, Instacart has also pledged its ongoing commitment to help fight hunger through its introduction of Instacart Health just months ago.