A little more than a year ago, Ryan Sprinkle welcomed President Donald Trump to one of his family’s three grocery stores near Pittsburgh. It was Trump On the electoral campaign trail; They talked about rising grocery prices, and the Republican candidate picked up a bag of popcorn.
But these days, Sprinkle would have a different message if Trump or any lawmakers visited his store. He wants them to know it’s overdue Benefits of Snap during Government shutdown He hurt his customers and his small independent chain.
“You can’t exclude the neediest people in the country,” Sprankle said. “It’s inhumane.” “It’s a lack of empathy and it’s in all their hands.
The Trump administration froze funding for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program at the end of October, affecting access to food for about 42 million Americans. Monday in the US Senate Legislation passed It would reopen the federal government and Replenishing SNAP fundsBut the US House of Representatives must still consider the bill. It’s unclear when SNAP payments could resume if the government reopens.
In 2024, SNAP beneficiaries received just over $96 billion in benefits, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which Manages the program. The majority — 74% — was spent at department stores and supermarkets, a category that includes large chains like Walmart and Kroger but also some independent stores like Sprankle’s.
About 14% was spent on grocery stores and convenience stores, businesses often located in neighborhoods and easily accessible SNAP beneficiaries.
Cutting SNAP benefits had immediate effects on grocery stores and convenience stores of all sizes, most of which operate on razor-thin profit margins of 1% to 2%, said Etharin Cousin, former director of the United Nations World Food Program and founder of the nonprofit Food for the Future.
“SNAP is not just a social safety net for families. It is also a local economic engine,” Cousin said. “SNAP benefits flow directly to neighborhoods, stores, regional distributors and community jobs.”
Walmart declined to comment on the impact of the SNAP funding cut, but noted that it has been cutting prices and donating to local food banks. Kroger also declined to comment.
Shoppers do not receive Its nutritional benefits affect all retailers but become a “big problem more quickly” in small chains, Sprinkle said. His store in Kittanning, Pennsylvania, gets 25% of its revenue from SNAP, but customers who don’t get government assistance are also concerned about the closure, according to Sprinkle. They spend less, and trade in cheaper goods or goods To food banksHe said.
Sprankle said the decline in sales has reduced the overtime he can provide to the chain’s 140 employees. He added that many are worried about losing their jobs.
“They have families to feed, and they have children to buy gifts for,” he said. “If I have to sell my truck, we’ll give you a Christmas bonus.”
Liz Abunow, owner and operator of Forty Acres Fresh Market in Chicago, recently watched a customer return an entire cart of groceries because she couldn’t afford them without SNAP.
Abunao opened the supermarket in September after years spent selling produce at pop-up markets and in drop boxes. Currently, only about 12% of Abunao’s revenue comes from SNAP benefits, she said. But without it — or if SNAP recipients spend less money at her store — it will slow Forty Acres’ growth and make it harder to pay the workers, suppliers and farmers who depend on it, she said.
“SNAP is a currency. I get money that I then use in this economy. It’s not a food box,” Abunao said. “The economic impact of SNAP is greater than the dollars spent.”
the Food aid pending It also had an immediate impact on Kanbe’s Markets, a non-profit organization that produces stock in coolers in 110 convenience stores around Kansas City, Missouri. Canby distributes a mix of donated food and food purchased from wholesalers to keep prices low, said founder and CEO Maxfield Kaniger.
Kanbe’s is also distributing free food to 50 food pantries and soup kitchens throughout the city.
Kaniger said some of the convenience stores he works with saw their sales drop by 10% in the days after Nov. 1, when SNAP benefits are not paid. Meanwhile, the food pantries he supplies are ordering two or three times their usual orders.
Since it delivers more food than usual, Kanbe has to spend more money to buy the products needed for the coolers it stores. It’s frustrating for Kaniger, who has to make decisions quickly before the food spoils.
“It should be enough for people to go without food. Period, end of sentence. For people to go without food is wrong,” he said.
Baber Sultan sells berries, lemons, potatoes, bananas and other products from Canby at his four FavTrip stores in the Kansas City area. He said his stores are located in food deserts, far from other grocery stores or big-box retailers, so it’s important for him to stock fresh produce for those neighborhoods.
Sultan said foot traffic at his stores was down 8% to 10% in early November after SNAP funding stopped. He decided to offer $10 worth of free produce to SNAP recipients, but said he’s also happy to help other customers who may be struggling right now.
“If you are in need, just ask, and we will take care of you,” Sultan said. “Everyone is affected when a customer is upset.”
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Durbin reported from Detroit. Associated Press data journalist Kasturi Bananjadi in Philadelphia contributed to this report.