Virginia is set to implement a change to its Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) beverage rules on November 1, 2026. SNAP benefits will no longer be usable to purchase regular soda, diet soda or carbonated energy drinks.

The policy is intended to encourage healthier consumption. Its scope extends beyond drinks containing sugar: diet soda is also among the excluded products. For shoppers and retailers, the distinction between eligible and excluded beverages will therefore matter more than a product's sugar or calorie content alone.

The immediate effect on beverage retail will be a change in which products customers can buy using SNAP benefits. Shoppers may turn to eligible alternatives, but the effect on demand for low-sugar or low-calorie drinks will depend on which products qualify and what customers choose instead. The inclusion of diet soda in the exclusion means that a low-calorie claim alone does not establish eligibility.