Courtesy: Purdue News
The household food insecurity rate posted the largest increase so far this year, rising from 13.3% in October to 16% in November, according to the latest Consumer Food Insights Report (CFI).
The survey-based report from Purdue University’s Center for Food Demand Analysis and Sustainability assesses food spending, consumer satisfaction and values, support of agricultural and food policies, and trust in information sources. Purdue experts conducted and evaluated the survey, which included 1,200 consumers across the U.S.
In this month’s report, CFDAS researchers categorized their survey data by participation in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. The reference period for the CFI’s food insecurity questions overlapped with the recently concluded government shutdown, which led to food access concerns and disruptions in SNAP benefits.
“Food insecurity was already prevalent among many SNAP users: We estimate that 36% of SNAP households were food insecure in recent years and months. That figure rose to 46% in November, amid ongoing inflation and disruptions to SNAP caused by the federal government shutdown,” said the report’s lead author, Joseph Balagtas, professor of agricultural economics at Purdue and director of CFDAS.
About 17% of those surveyed in November indicated they had used a food bank in the last 30 days. Among this group, 37% said their household accessed these resources once, 44% used them two or three times, and 18% used them more than that in the last 30 days. Of these consumers, many said their household regularly or occasionally draws upon free food resources. Over 25% attributed their use of a food bank to recent changes in their household financial situation or concerns about SNAP benefit disruptions.
When it comes to product attributes and qualities that are important to consumers, Balagtas said consumers’ food values are quite stable over time, with taste and affordability at the top of the list for most. But the researchers do find some differences across consumers. For example, consumers who receive SNAP benefits tend to value affordability most highly, while non-SNAP recipients prioritize taste above all else.
“Interestingly, environmental and social responsibility hold greater importance among SNAP users, though this difference is likely attributed to the many respondents in SNAP households who are younger adults,” he said. “Nutrition also ranks high but typically takes a back seat to taste and affordability, leading to mediocre diet quality among many U.S. adults.”
Average diet quality among all Americans is low, but the researchers find that diet quality is lower for SNAP participants. “Using our Mini-EAT diet quality score, 55% of SNAP participants have diets that fall in the ‘unhealthy’ range, compared to 43% for the non-SNAP participants,” Balagtas said.
Average weekly household food expenditures rebounded after a slight dip last month, though the holiday season may bring an increase in grocery spending, he noted.
Consumer estimates and expectations for grocery-price inflation both increased from last month to 5.4% and 3.9%, respectively. The most recent consumer price index estimate of food-at-home inflation was 2.7% for September, below the consumers’ estimate. However, the government disruption has delayed the release of new consumer price index estimates, now set for release Dec. 18.
In the consumer trust category, consumers continue to place the greatest trust in primary care providers for information on health, nutrition and sustainable foods, Balagtas said. Historically, government agencies responsible for safeguarding the food system have also been viewed as reliable sources. In recent months, however, confidence in organizations such as the Food and Drug Administration and the U.S. Department of Agriculture has declined slightly.
“This dip may reflect broader uncertainty stemming from the recent federal disruptions, as perceptions of these institutions were likely impacted by the shutdown,” he observed.
As for consumer behaviors, SNAP participants reported buying generic products more often than brand-name items when compared to non-SNAP users. However, SNAP users also said they often select products that are typically considered premium. This and other evidence suggest that factors other than cost also influence SNAP consumer choices, Balagtas said.
The Center for Food Demand Analysis and Sustainability is part of Purdue’s Next Moves in Plant Sciences 2.0 and uses innovative data analysis shared through user-friendly platforms to improve the food system.
In addition to the Consumer Food Insights Report, the center offers a portfolio of online dashboards.
Source: Purdue News
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