Arkansas limits some SNAP purchases and launches app to flag ineligible items
June 30, 2026 | Rose Bud, White County, Arkansas
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Arkansas' new restrictions on Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) purchases take effect tomorrow, and the state has launched a mobile app — Snap Companion Arkansas — to help shoppers and retailers determine whether items are eligible at the register.
The changes, announced on air by THV 11, remove candy, soda, energy drinks and some other sugary items from what can be bought with SNAP benefits, a state official told the station. Supporters say the limits will encourage healthier choices, while critics question whether the restrictions will have the intended effect.
Reporter Tamara Knight tested the Snap Companion Arkansas app inside a grocery store and demonstrated how it works. "That app can be used to scan barcodes on foods" and indicate whether an item is allowed, Knight said on the broadcast; items the app could not recognize displayed a question mark.
Steve Good, executive director of the Arkansas Retail Association, told the station that retailers are working to add and update items in the app database because "new items come out every week," and stores need to make sure their systems correctly identify SNAP-eligible items.
The Department of Human Services said the app will suggest alternative items when it flags a product as ineligible so customers can consider options before reaching the register.
A customer speaking while the reporter was testing the app expressed opposition to the limits: "I don't like it. I feel that I should be able to buy what I want to buy because I mean, I'm the one who got to eat it," the resident said.
Retailers said they have spent months preparing for the rollout, including training cashiers and putting up signage to help shoppers understand the new rules. The broadcast noted the Snap Companion Arkansas app can be downloaded on Apple and Android phones and directed viewers to THV11.com for further information.
The report closed by reminding viewers that the new SNAP restrictions begin tomorrow and that the app is intended to reduce confusion at checkout. No formal vote or ordinance was reported in the broadcast; the segment focused on implementation and consumer guidance.
The changes, announced on air by THV 11, remove candy, soda, energy drinks and some other sugary items from what can be bought with SNAP benefits, a state official told the station. Supporters say the limits will encourage healthier choices, while critics question whether the restrictions will have the intended effect.
Reporter Tamara Knight tested the Snap Companion Arkansas app inside a grocery store and demonstrated how it works. "That app can be used to scan barcodes on foods" and indicate whether an item is allowed, Knight said on the broadcast; items the app could not recognize displayed a question mark.
Steve Good, executive director of the Arkansas Retail Association, told the station that retailers are working to add and update items in the app database because "new items come out every week," and stores need to make sure their systems correctly identify SNAP-eligible items.
The Department of Human Services said the app will suggest alternative items when it flags a product as ineligible so customers can consider options before reaching the register.
A customer speaking while the reporter was testing the app expressed opposition to the limits: "I don't like it. I feel that I should be able to buy what I want to buy because I mean, I'm the one who got to eat it," the resident said.
Retailers said they have spent months preparing for the rollout, including training cashiers and putting up signage to help shoppers understand the new rules. The broadcast noted the Snap Companion Arkansas app can be downloaded on Apple and Android phones and directed viewers to THV11.com for further information.
The report closed by reminding viewers that the new SNAP restrictions begin tomorrow and that the app is intended to reduce confusion at checkout. No formal vote or ordinance was reported in the broadcast; the segment focused on implementation and consumer guidance.
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