Lidl is a popular grocery store chain in the United States that offers a wide range of products at affordable prices.
As of today, many low-income households in the US depend on the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program to purchase nutritious food for themselves and their young children.
However, there has been some confusion among consumers about whether Lidl accepts WIC benefits or not. Several grocery store chains in the US accept WIC as a form of payment for eligible items but can you pay at Lidl using WIC?
Well, the answer is quite straightforward: Lidl does not accept WIC benefits as a form of payment at their store. While the store does accept other forms of payment, such as cash, credit cards, and contactless payments, WIC is not one of them.
In this article, we will take a deep dive into Lidl’s policy on WIC benefits as a form of payment, other payment methods accepted by the store, as well as some tips on how to find WIC-approved vendors in your region.
Does Lidl Accept WIC?
According to information available on the company’s website, Lidl does not accept WIC benefits as a form of payment at its stores in the United States at the moment.
Lidl does however accept a couple of payment options including VISA, MasterCard, American Express, Discover, Cash, and Lidl gift cards alongside other contactless payment methods like Apple Pay, and Google Pay, amongst others.
Lidl also accepts SNAP EBT cards as a means of payment for SNAP-eligible items but the store doesn’t allow WIC recipients to pay using their WIC EBT cards.
If you’re a shopper who currently depends on WIC benefits to purchase food, then we recommend shopping at other grocery stores that participate in the WIC program.
It’s also important to note that WIC-approved foods can vary by state, so be sure to check with the local WIC office in your area to see which foods are eligible for purchase with WIC benefits.
Why Doesn’t Lidl Accept WIC Payments?
One thing that sets Lidl apart from most popular grocery stores is the fact that they simply do not accept WIC payments when others mostly do accept. This can be frustrating for customers who rely on WIC benefits to purchase groceries for themselves and their families.
There are a couple of reasons why Lidl does not accept WIC payments.
Firstly, the process of becoming authorized to accept WIC payments can be complex and time-consuming. Additionally, the store may not have the necessary equipment to process WIC payments, which can also be quite costly to install.
Another reason why Lidl does not accept WIC payments is that the store may not have all of the products that are eligible for purchase with WIC benefits readily available for purchase and this defeats the purpose of supporting the program to begin with.
What Payment Methods Does Lidl Accept?
When it comes to payment methods, Lidl accepts several options to make the shopping experience convenient for its customers.
Customers can pay using all major credit cards including Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover. In addition, Lidl also accepts SNAP EBT payments, which are government-issued debit cards for the food assistance program – SNAP. However, they do not accept checks or WIC at this time.
For those who prefer contactless payments, Lidl accepts Google Pay, Apple Pay, and Lidl gift cards. Cash is also accepted at all Lidl stores.
How To Find Stores That Accept WIC?
If you are a WIC recipient, you can shop for WIC-approved foods at participating stores.
To find stores that accept WIC in your region, you can use the WIC Store Locator tool available on the WIC website for your state.
Most states in the United States have dedicated websites with a store locator tool for the local WIC program in the state. For example, here the website for the WIC program in the state of Georgia is https://dph.georgia.gov/WIC/.
Visit the website for the program in your state (you can get this with a simple Google search). On the website, locate the WIC-approved vendor search tool, then enter your zip code or city to find nearby stores where you can pay using WIC.
Alternatively, you can contact your local WIC office to get a list of authorized WIC vendors in your area. The WIC office can also provide you with information on which foods are eligible for purchase with WIC benefits in the state.
It is important to note that some stores on the list may have stopped supporting WIC even though they may be on the locator tool, so it is best to check with the store before you go shopping.
Look for the WIC sign or ask a store employee if they accept WIC. Some stores may only accept certain types of WIC benefits, such as checks or electronic benefit transfer (EBT) cards, so it is important to know which type of benefit you have.
Overall, finding stores that accept WIC is easy and convenient. By using the WIC Store Locator tool or contacting your local WIC office, you can easily find authorized WIC vendors in your area and start shopping for healthy WIC-approved foods.
Wrapping Up..
In conclusion, Lidl simply does not accept WIC (EBT cards or checks) as a form of payment both at physical locations and online.
While the store does not take WIC as a form of payment, many other grocery stores in your locality do and you can find these WIC-approved vendors by either using the store locator tool at the WIC program website for your state or contacting the local WIC office in your region.
Alternatively, Lidl does affect a whole lot of other payment methods including credit/debit cards, gift cards (Lidl), cash, contactless payments as well as SNAP EBT cards for shoppers who are beneficiaries of SNAP.