Grocery stores worry about Trump's pullback on SNAP (food stamps)

[left-of-center2012]

Grocery retailers around the country have growing concerns about President Trump's plan to reduce food-stamp spending by $130 billion over the next decade, reports the Wall Street Journal. That would amount to a 20% reduction in the program's $63 billion annual budget.

Why it matters: Retailers are already facing stiff competition from grocers like Whole Foods with Amazon's backing. Now, they may lose sales from low-income consumers because of regulation.

More stringent requirements would reduce the number of consumers who are eligible for the food-stamp program.
Rather than receiving benefits on cards, food stamp users would receive benefits in boxes of cereal, beans, canned fruits and other government purchased food through wholesale channels.

Industry concerns:
The food industry operates on a 1% profit margin, Alex Baloga, chief executive of the Pennsylvania Food Merchants Association, told the journal. Any SNAP loss could be devastating to the industry.

The nation's biggest retailers would lose key revenue sources.
SNAP accounted for 52% of total sales in big box stores like Walmart and Target in 2017.

https://www.axios.com/trump-snap-pullback-worries-grocery-stores-61830c25-dfba-4141-a31b-d9bf0a8b83fe.html

[elocs]

1. I'm retired, under the 100% federal poverty level, and receive $32/month in food stamps.

It was $39/month in December but because my SS went up $15/month with a cost of living raise they cut me back $7 on food stamps. If it wasn't for my local food pantry and knowing how to cook I'd be in food jeopardy.

This is a great article about food stamps and its benefit to our economy.
https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2013/10/food-stamps-statistics-SNAP-economic-benefits/
"When food stamps get spent, we all benefit. Despite critics’ focus on the costs of SNAP, research has shown that these dollars are among the best forms of government stimulus. Food stamp spending generates local economic activity, jobs in the farm and retail sectors and beyond."

[UnhelpfulYoda]

2. It's sickening that this orange dump, who promised to help the poor....

...has attacked literally the weakest and most needy among us, while signing a bill funding more nuclear missiles, neither he nor the walking corpses in congress ever read.

I don't care less if it stimulates the economy or not! (with all due respect.)

It's the absolute LEAST that the richest country in the world can do, help the poor get food. Even if it stimulated nothing, we should be giving this AID to people.

Nobody is on food stamps by choice.

[gopiscrap]

3. welcome to du