Mom-and-pop grocery store gives SNAP beneficiaries a discount on organic food – RetailWire
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Jul 10, 2019
A New Hampshire family-owned grocery store makes it a better deal for customers with government assistance to buy organic produce.
The retailer, named The Local Grocer, has partnered with the national non-profit Fair Food Network on an initiative called Double Up Food Bucks, according to Conway’s Daily Sun. Through the program, customers using SNAP benefits can get 50% off the store’s selection of locally grown organic produce.
Although the partnership is aimed at SNAP beneficiaries, a recent study shows that customers in general would choose organic if not because its cost is prohibitive, as reported Consumer reports. Organic food is on average 47% more expensive than non-organic products, although prices vary widely by product.
Despite the high prices, interest continues to climb. The organic food market reached a record turnover of $ 47.9 billion in 2018, according to AG week. Fruits and vegetables represent 36.3 percent of organic food sales and 14.6 percent of all products sold in the United States
Some of the biggest names in retail have also been looking for new ways to empower SNAP recipients to shop in today’s evolving retail ecosystem.
Amazon.com, for example, began offering a discount on Amazon Prime subscriptions to SNAP recipients in 2017. People with valid EBT cards can purchase a one-year subscription for $ 5.99 per month.
Earlier this year, Walmart announced that it was accepting SNAP for online grocery orders at more than 2,500 online pickup locations, giving low-income shoppers access to BOPIS, according to TechCrunch. The move comes after a successful small-scale pilot project in 2017.
The question of which products the SNAP benefits should be used to purchase remains a point of ongoing controversy. Some argue that attempts to limit recipients of government assistance to healthy products are detrimental or stigmatizing, while others promote the establishment of nutritional standards aimed at improving the health of low-income clients.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: Should other local or even national grocers consider encouraging people receiving government assistance to make healthier choices through this method? Will such measures have an impact on how CPGs position their biologics and where they make them available?
“It would be amazing if the competitors matched this program, especially Whole Foods.”
“Good health is good for everyone in our country. Sadly, those who have it least bear the burden of choice based on income rather than health.”
“Of course, the incentives for healthier eating are a good thing. Why limit them to SNAP beneficiaries? “
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