Four new grocery bans hitting all Americans which will change the way you shop

AMERICANS must remain aware of some recent changes at the supermarket that could impact the way they shop.

The federal government and some individual states have implemented bans involving certain items in-store.

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There are a few new bans that could impact American shoppers soon (stock image)[/caption]

Of the most notable involves Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).

This summer, six new states joined a total list of 12 that are now restricting recipients from using Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) cards via the program on sugary and processed foods and drinks at retailers.

The first six to pass a law on this were Arkansas, Idaho, Indiana, Nebraska, and Utah.

They were joined by Colorado, Florida, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Texas, and West Virginia in August.

SNAP recipients are barred under the bans from using EBT cards to get soda and sweetened drinks in the 12 states, or at least they will be when the bans go into full effect at the start of 2026.

Exact restrictions also differ from state to state.

For example, in Florida and Lousiana energy drinks and candy are banned along with soda and sweetened drink purchases.

USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins explained that the reasoning behind the move from these states is that SNAP is solely intended for low-income families to purchase nutritious and health-conscious items.

“SNAP is a supplemental nutrition program meant to provide health food benefits to low-income families to supplement their grocery budget so they can afford the nutritious food essential to health and well-being,” Rollins said in a statement.

“That is the stated purpose of the SNAP program, the law states it and President Trump’s USDA plans to deliver on it.”

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr echoed that sentiment and applauded the efforts as part of his larger Make America Health Again campaign.

“US taxpayers should not be paying to feed kids foods, the poorest kids in our country, with foods that are going to give them diabetes,” he wrote in an X post.

“And then my agency ends up, through Medicaid and Medicare, paying for those injuries.”

Even so, shoppers are already finding loopholes to get around the bans, which includes crossing state lines to purchase the sugary foods they desire.

SELF-CHECKOUT

Self-checkout is also being changed for shoppers in California this year as part of Senate Bill 442, written by Los Angeles-based Senator Lola Smallwood-Cuevas (D).

It’s getting very close to being passed, and would ban retailers in The Golden State from having kiosks open if there is not at least one traditional checkout operated by a cashier available to shoppers.

Additionally, consumers could only use self-checkout with 15 items or less and be unable to purchase merchandise that require and ID check or age verification, like alcohol.

Smallwood-Cuevas has emphasized legislators’ mission with the bill to find “solutions for retail theft” and to improve the shopping experience for Californians.

Rhode Island consumers could face something similar with a law awaiting a House vote that would limit stores to no more than six self-checkout lanes and would require at least one traditional checkout open for every two self-serve kiosks.

“We’ve all experienced frustration at a self-service checkout, and this experience can be far more challenging for elderly members of the community,” Senate President Valarie Lawson said in a statement.

“This bill would provide options for the consumer by making sure staffed checkout lanes are always available and it would improve the store environment for workers and consumers.”

WARDROBING

Shoppers are also at risk of facing fines worth up to $5,000 in eight US states due to what’s known as “wardrobing” laws.

They’re in place to prevent return fraud, but are somewhat obscure, and many may not even realize the laws could be broken easily.

Wardrobing is a practice of buying an item, typically clothing, with the intention of using or wearing it once before returning it and getting a full refund.

According to a recent study, at least one in five American consumers has engaged in wardrobing, with 43% being those between 16 and 24 years of age.

The challenge is that the retailer has to prove that they are lying in saying they never wore the item when returning it.

They can do this through surveillance footage, transaction history, or other evidence.

Not to mention, the consequences are real, with potential criminal charges depending on the state.

Should it be determined a misdemeanor, there could be a fine of $1,000 and potential jail time, and a felony could result in the higher $5,000 fine and more time spent behind bars.

The eight states that have wardrobing laws include Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Michigan, New York, and Texas.

WINE WOES

One of the last grocery store changes consumers should remain aware of so far in 2025 only applies to New York.

Legislators are working on passing Senate Bill S1279A, which adjusts the definition of a supermarket to control wine licenses for them.

Only grocery stores that have 65% of total sales from food-related products, already have a license for beer sales, and have a total square footage of more than 4,000 would be able to get the license.

Additionally, any supermarket that operates within 500 feet of an existing liquor store would not be eligible for the wine license.

That means shoppers in New York may have to go elsewhere soon for wine, but the law has yet to be passed.

At least 20 states also have a law that bans a coveted breakfast item in grocery stores, but there’s a legal loophole in at least three.

A July 1 law also went into effect in Virginia that restricts a popular fast food and takeout item.