It wasn’t the tariffs: Walmart explains why it now charges more to those who use government aid
Walmart has been accused of slapping a new delivery fee on customers in the Walmart+ Assist program due to tariffs, but the retailer says that isn’t true.
President Donald Trump has told the American public to expect “disturbance” during a period of “transition” from the trade policies he is implementing, primarily through tariffs. Economists and market analysts are warning that they could lead to shortages of goods and higher prices.
So, when Walmart reinstated its $6.99 minimum basket fee for online purchases under $35 for members of the Walmart+ Assist program, some jumped to the conclusion that it was the retailer passing on increased costs from tariffs. However, Mashable got in touch with the Bentonville-based company which said the tariffs had nothing to do with the policy change.
Walmart reinstating $6.99 minimum basket fee
Walmart removed its minimum basket fee for members of the Walmart+ Assist program, which is available to recipients of government assistance programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), in the run-up to Christmas in 2020 as the covid-19 pandemic dragged on. Now five years later, America’s largest retailer is reinstating the $6.99 fee for pick-up and delivery of grocery purchases from a store for purchase that don’t meet the $35 threshold.
The company told Mashable that it was standard practice for most retailers, including competitors like Target. There is no minimum basket fee on in-store purchases.
What is the Walmart+ Assist program?
Recipients of government assistance programs that have an Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card can sign up for the Walmart+ Assist program. Normally, membership of Walmart+, the store’s rewards scheme, costs $98 a year but those with an EBT card only have to pay half that amount, $49 annually, for the Walmart+ Assist program.
The program gives them access to discounts on selected products, free home delivery (for purchases of at least $35) and a subscription to the streaming service Paramount+.
Besides SNAP, those who are beneficiaries of Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program; the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program; and Medicaid can also sign up for the Walmart+ Assist program. Mashable cites data from Numerator which found that over the past year 94% of SNAP beneficiaries bought groceries at Walmart.
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