Jan 8, 2022 - Health

At-home COVID test prices rise at Walmart and Kroger

Kierra Frazier

An Abbott BinaxNOW Covid-19 antigen self test is displayed for a photograph before being distributed to conference attendees — An Abbott BinaxNOW COVID-19 antigen self test. Photo: Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images

BinaxNOW at-home COVID-19 tests at Walmart and Kroger will see a rise in prices after a deal with the White House expired in mid-December.

Driving the news: BinaxNOW, one of the first at-home tests approved by the Food and Drug Administration, has become increasingly popular over the last month due to the highly contagious Omicron variant.

The big picture: Walmart and Kroger made a deal with the White House in September to sell the tests for $14. Amazon also made a deal to sell the kits for $24.

Walmart said in a statement that the prices of the test kits would rise to $19.98 a box after the company held the $14 price through the holidays.
A Kroger spokesperson said in a statement that the company has "fulfilled our commitment to the Biden administration to sell at cost for 100 days" and that retail pricing, $23.99, has been reinstated.
The BinaxNOW tests are currently unavailable on Amazon. CVS and Walgreens have been selling the test kits for $23.99 a box

Of note: The White House said Tuesday that its finalizing contracts to mail millions of at-home COVID-19 rapid tests later this month after Americans have struggled to find tests in the last month.

Add Axios on Google

At-home COVID test prices rise at Walmart and Kroger

What to read next