COLUMBIA, S.C. — Shoppers who pay with SNAP benefits in South Carolina will find a shorter list of eligible items at the register beginning Sunday, Nov. 1, when a two-year state project called Healthy Food SC takes effect.
From that day on, food stamp benefits can no longer cover energy drinks, candy, sugar-sweetened sodas or similar drinks with added sweeteners. Diet and zero-sugar sodas remain eligible Department of Social Services, which runs the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program in South Carolina.
The rule is not optional for anyone. Every SNAP-approved store in the state is part of the project, and households on the program cannot choose to sit it out. State officials describe the goal as nudging families toward more nutritious food and drink purchases.
The change grew out of a waiver Gov. Henry McMaster sought from federal officials. He announced plans to pursue it in August 2025, then issued an executive order in September 2025 telling the department to file the request. The Food and Nutrition Administration at the U.S. Department of Agriculture approved the project as a demonstration.
The start date has already moved once. Federal officials told the state agency to postpone the original launch, setting Nov. 1, 2026, as the revised date.
The department says it will post updates for both retailers and SNAP households on its Healthy Food SC web page as more details are released.
Filed under: Greenwood SC Health News
