Dive Brief:
- The Trump administration approved requests from another six states to prevent consumers from using food assistance benefits to buy soda, candy or other sugary snacks and beverages.
- The USDA signed off on state waivers from West Virginia, Florida, Colorado, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Texas to amend the list of products that can be purchased using the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.
- Twelve states have now received approval to restrict benefits, with bans set to commence next year. The Department of Health and Human Services said the waivers aim to end the “subsidization of popular types of junk food.”
Dive Insight:
SNAP consumers make up nearly a quarter of spending in the packaged foods industry, according to Numerator, and new restrictions stand to further limit sales at a time when consumption is already slowing.
Restrictions on benefits also vary by state, adding to the confusion for the food industry. Some states are only banning sodas, while others are targeting energy drinks and candy. Florida is so far the only state to restrict SNAP purchases of prepared desserts.
Adding to the complications, state bans also have different definitions for what’s considered candy or sugary drinks.
Indiana and Nebraska, for example, are both banning soft drink purchases but have different definitions of the beverage. Indiana says soft drinks encompass all nonalcoholic beverages with natural or artificial sweeteners, while Nebraska defines them as carbonated nonalcoholic beverages containing water, a sweetening agent, flavoring and carbon dioxide gas.
Other states have even more complexity. Iowa, which has one of the most restrictive set of SNAP rules, is banning sugar-sweetened beverages that contain less than 50% juice, including sodas, energy drinks and flavored waters. The state is also restricting drink concentrates and powdered mix-ins.
Iowa is also taking an expansive definition of candy, banning traditional gum and candies in addition to fruit leather, ready-to-eat caramel corn and granola bars unless they contain flour. Trail mix, or other snacks where fruits and nuts are combined with sugar or chocolate, is also banned.
As some states provide detailed definitions, others remain vague. Arkansas is banning soda and “unhealthy drinks,” without providing a description of what the latter entails.
More states have moved toward restricting SNAP purchases as part of a push from HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and the “Make America Healthy Again” movement. Kennedy said in a statement that SNAP uses “taxpayer dollars to fund soda and candy—products that fuel America’s diabetes and chronic disease epidemics.”
“These waivers help put real food back at the center of the program and empower states to lead the charge in protecting public health,” Kennedy added.
Purchasing patterns between SNAP households and non-SNAP households are roughly equal, the USDA found, with consumers spending the majority of their dollars on staples like meat, fruits, eggs and bread. More money was spent on soft drinks than any other item across all households, though SNAP users spent somewhat more.
While SNAP participants are more likely to have higher rates of obesity, recent research from the National Institutes of Health suggests other factors like poor mental health may be driving unhealthy eating patterns.
The food industry has long fought efforts to restrict SNAP purchases, arguing that the program addresses hunger and obesity by increasing access to retailers with healthier foods.
“At a time when many Americans need the temporary assistance available through SNAP, it is more important than ever that policies promote benefit adequacy and access, not introduce unwise complexity or stigma,” a coalition of industry groups previously wrote to the White House.
