Since July 1, 2026, Arkansas SNAP benefits can no longer be used to purchase soda, candy, and certain other beverages. The goal of this test is to see if limiting sugary items helps improve people’s health.
Who is Affected?
Everyone who receives SNAP benefits in Arkansas will be affected by this change. There is no way to opt-out. You cannot choose to skip this new rule. It applies to 100% of shoppers using SNAP in the state.
What is Changing?
Since July 1, 2026, your EBT card can no longer be used to pay for the items listed below. The store’s computer system will automatically stop these items from being paid for with SNAP. If you want to buy these things, you will have to use your own cash or a debit card.
Here is the list of items that will be restricted:
- Soda: Regular sodas with sugar (like Cola, Root Beer, or Lemon-Lime soda).
- Diet Soda: This includes “low-calorie” and “no-calorie” sodas (like Diet Coke or Zero Sugar drinks). Even though they have no sugar, they are still banned.
- Certain Fruit Drinks: Any ready-to-drink fruit or vegetable drink that is less than 50% real juice. This usually includes fruit punch, sugary lemonades, and orange “drinks” that aren’t 100% juice.
- Other Unhealthy Drinks: Arkansas has now specifically defined this category. It includes many ready-to-drink sweetened beverages, energy drinks, sweetened teas, ready-to-drink coffee or coffee substitutes, fruit and vegetable drinks with less than 50% juice, and other similar drinks.
- Candy: Chocolate bars, gummy bears, hard candies, etc.
What Stays the Same?
It is important to know that most of your grocery shopping will not change. You can still buy all the healthy staples you need.
- Real Food is Safe: You can still buy meat, poultry, fish, bread, cereal, vegetables, fruits, and dairy products.
- 100% Juice: If a juice is 100% natural fruit juice, you can still buy it.
- Water: Bottled water is still okay to buy.
- Special Meals: If you use SNAP to buy prepared meals at a senior center, homeless shelter, or domestic violence center, those meals are not affected. You can still buy them.
Things You Need to Know.
There is a lot of information tucked inside Arkansas’s waiver approval.
- Shopping Out of State is Okay: The state will be watching to see if people cross state lines (like going to Texas or Oklahoma) to buy soda or candy. This is not fraud. You are allowed to use your SNAP benefits in other states. They are just counting how often it happens for their report.
- Surveys are Voluntary: You might be asked to fill out a survey or answer questions about what you eat. You do not have to do this. You can say “no” to the survey, and you will not lose your SNAP benefits.
- Your Privacy: The reports the state writes will be about general numbers (like “50% of people bought less soda”), not about you specifically. They are not supposed to reveal your Personally Identifiable Information (PII) in their reports.
Relief Recap
Arkansas’s SNAP restrictions have been in effect since July 1, 2026. They apply to candy, soda, and certain other ready-to-drink beverages, while most other groceries remain SNAP-eligible.
