Retailers

COVID-19 Community Levels Map Update, Jan. 27, 2023: The CDC has listed three Connecticut Counties—Litchfield, Middlesex and New Haven Counties—in the High/Orange category as part of its weekly COVID-19 Community Levels update. Fairfield, Hartford, New London, Tolland and Windham Counties are listed in the Medium/Yellow category.  Because all eight Connecticut counties are either in the High or Medium categories, the Connecticut Department of Public Health recommends that all residents consider wearing a mask in public indoor spaces. People who are at high risk for severe illness should consider additional measures to minimize their exposure to COVID-19 and other respiratory illnesses. Visit the CDC COVID-19 Community Levels Map for updates.

Please visit covidtests.gov to request four free COVID-19 self-test kits from the Federal Government. Find a location that has a supply of COVID-19 therapeutics as part of the Test to Treat initiative here. The complete DPH COVID-19 toolbox is located at ct.gov/coronavirus.

Retailers

For vendors wishing to become WIC authorized, the 2023 Open Enrollment period for vendor authorization in the Connecticut WIC Program is OPEN from January 3, 2023 through February 3, 2023. Please click the link HERE to be directed to the Open Enrollment 2023 webpage for information related to becoming an authorized WIC vendor.

ALERT: Please note this important change to the purchase of certain WIC Approved juice containers.

On January 1, 2023, the 2^nd phase of Connecticut's Bottle Bill is going into effect. Half gallon (64 oz.) plastic containers of juice will now be included in the items subject to a 5 cent bottle deposit. The WIC Program cannot pay the 5 cent deposit. For transactions made with a WIC card, the 5 cent deposit must be paid for separately from the food items.

When purchasing 64 oz. plastic bottles of WIC approved juice, customers using WIC cards will first swipe their WIC card to pay for the WIC approved food items, then will need to pay the bottle deposit with any other form of payment.

For more information about Connecticut's Bottle Bill, click HERE.

RECALL ALERT UPDATES

December 29, 2022

In the midst of the Similac infant formula recall announced in February and the current nationwide formula shortage, the Connecticut WIC Program is continuing to help our families find the formula products that they need. Abbott Nutrition has stated that they have healthy levels of Similac Advance 12.4 oz powder and that they are beginning to build inventory. Vendors should be placing orders for the small powder Advance as they did prior to the recall.

Please click HERE for a list of comparable formulas that participants can purchase with their WIC cards if they have benefits for the affected Similac products.

Please make sure that your store computer systems are updated daily with the most recent version of the APL. This will allow successful transactions and help your customers using WIC cards receive the formula that they need.

The State WIC Office and the WIC Local Agencies are receiving complaints that some stores are not allowing the comparable brands that are currently allowed as temporary substitutions. Please have your store managers ensure that cashiers are scanning all products and having the customer swipe their WIC card to determine if a purchase is allowed. If a purchase is declined, WIC participants have been instructed to submit their card number and a photo of the attempted product, plus the store and location where the attempted purchase was made to the WIC office so that we can determine the cause.

All stores must allow the purchase of a comparable brand until Similac products become available again. These temporary substitutions of certain comparable brands are expected to be allowed until February 28, 2023. Please review the list of comparable formulas available at the link above for the full details.

Similac Recalled Product Information

For currently authorized vendors, the 2022 Renewal application period for vendor authorization in the Connecticut WIC Program has been CLOSED. For vendors whose current authorization period ends on September 30, 2023, information about Renewal 2023 will be available here beginning on April 15, 2023.

Click on the following link for the WIC Vendor Agreement. The vendor agreement does not constitute a license or a property interest. The agreement is in effect for the stated time period only.

You must meet the required minimum inventory at all times, click on the following link to view the Minimum Inventory Requirements:

Minimum Inventory Requirements

Minimum Inventory Checklist

Minimum Inventory Pictorial

Click on the following link for the WIC Vendor Food Card.

Connecticut has more than 350 authorized Grocery stores and more than 240 authorized Pharmacy Only Stores.

Click on the following link for a list of our authorized vendors:

Authorized Vendor Listing by Town December 2022

Infant Formula Supplier List

An authorized WIC vendor must purchase infant formula from the list of certified distributors provided by the WIC program. You must purchase infant formula from the distributors found on the list linked here. Infant Formula Suppliers List

WIC Approved Contract and Specialized Formula listing: Formula Resources

Retailer Bulletins for October 2021-September 2022:

November 2021 Vendor Agreement Changes and Temporary Fruit & Vegetable Increase

Retailer Bulletins for October 2020-September 2021:

June 2021 BeechNut Recall

Spanish version

May 2021 Fruit and Vegetable Benefit Increase

Retailer Bulletins for October 2019-September 2020:

April 2020 COVID-19 Food Additions

Spanish version

Food Additions UPC List

January 2020 Additions to the WIC Approved Product List (APL)