A new social card intended for purchasing food is reaching thousands of families in Portugal, offering a more flexible form of food support. The measure was designed for households in situations of economic need and already benefits 48,203 consumers.
What is the social card
According to the website Notícias ao Minuto, the electronic social card appears to gradually replace the traditional food basket, allowing families to choose the essential products they need.
The initiative began in February 2025 in Setúbal, Alcácer do Sal, Grândola, Sines and Santiago do Cacém, extending to the entire continental territory. Although the objective is to reach 120 thousand people, there are still many households that continue to receive the food basket.
Who can receive
It is the program’s partner coordinating and distributing entities that define which households will receive the card and which will maintain the basket.
The evaluation considers the economic and social profile of each family, with the purpose of ensuring that the card reaches between 45 and 55 thousand recipients, integrated into the People 2030 Program and financed by the European Social Fund Mais. Currently, more than 48 thousand consumers already benefit from the support.
Values and card loading
This card works with monthly top-up. The person responsible for the household receives 50.95 euros, while the remaining members, whether adults or minors, receive 35.67 euros, that is, 70% of the base value, according to DECO PROTeste.
The criteria for choosing products is based on a nutritionally adequate diet, including dairy products, pasta, rice, legumes, fish, meat, olive oil and vegetables.
Products covered
The list of products covered by the card is wide: soy drinks, dietary fats, yogurts, milk, cream, eggs, cheese, baby food, hot drinks, breakfast cereals, spices and condiments, liquid fats, basic products, bakery products, meals, bulk frozen cod and fish, cold cuts and cheese, fruit and vegetables, bakery and pastry, fish, chilled meals and butcher’s. To promote a healthy diet, alcohol and soft drinks are not included.
Card duration and impact
The electronic social card is valid until January 2027, ensuring that beneficiary families can count on continuous support in purchasing essential foodstuffs.
This model remains complementary to the food basket, ensuring that no household is left without assistance, while also allowing a more personalized choice of necessary products, according to .
The measure represents an evolution in food support policy in Portugal, offering flexibility and autonomy to families while maintaining the objective of reducing inequalities and promoting food security.
The card is, therefore, a practical tool that combines social support with the possibility of managing the pantry itself, responding to the specific needs of each household.
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