Nearly 190,000 Michigan families participating in the Women, Infants, and Children nutrition program can now use their benefits to buy groceries online, as Meijer becomes the first retailer in the state to accept WIC payments for digital orders.
Starting this month, WIC participants can use their benefits on Meijer.com and the Meijer mobile app by linking their WIC card to their mPerks account, which highlights eligible products during checkout. Meijer is offering free home delivery for WIC orders and free pickup for purchases over $35.
The expansion addresses a significant gap between how WIC was designed and how families shop in 2026. For recipients juggling childcare, work schedules and transportation challenges, the digital option offers practical relief.
"A significant step forward in modernizing the WIC shopping experience," said Christina Herring, Michigan's WIC director.
WIC, which has existed since 1972, was not designed with modern online shopping in mind. The lag between the program's creation and digital expansion reflects a broader pattern in social programs that are updated slowly as circumstances change.
The program's success depends on whether families actually know about the option and can access it. Digital literacy concerns remain, as not all WIC recipients are comfortable with online platforms. The process of linking cards to accounts and navigating app interfaces could present obstacles for some families.
Meijer operates more than 500 locations primarily across the Midwest, but the online option only helps families in its service areas.
Experts say the real test will be implementation. Do eligible product filters work as intended? Does the delivery system effectively reach food deserts or mainly serve areas already with adequate retail options?
The development emerged from collaborative thinking between the Michigan WIC program and Meijer, according to observers. The next logical question is replication: Will other major retailers in Michigan follow suit, and will this model expand to other states with WIC programs?
Michigan has removed one barrier to food access for nearly 200,000 people, though whether it becomes a model for broader reform depends on whether other retailers and states recognize the opportunity.
