Almost 30% of US citizens are not poor enough for food assistance, and not rich enough to afford their groceries.
As the Presidential campaigns wind into their final week, both candidates are zeroing in on states they hope to win over. But foraging for votes on traditional demographics such as age and ethnic background misses the neediest group of all: that huge swath of voters who can’t make ends meet and are clamoring for affordable food. Expanding the food stamp program known as SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance) is a simple and effective way of achieving this.
About 29% of US households (38 million) are considered “ALICE” consumers (Asset Limited; Income Constrained; Employed). These are households that earned above the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) but, according to research conducted by the advocacy group United for ALICE, not enough to afford the basic necessities in the communities where they live. Compounding this is that they are saddled with debt. As highlighted in the Georgetown University study The Casualties of Medical Debt: Sicker Consumers and Sicker Hospitals, the vast majority of medical debt sits on the shoulders of ALICE households.
ALICE consumers represent our essential workers. They are cashiers, childcare providers, retail salespersons, sanitation workers, laborers, and many others struggling financially. While they include many Black and Hispanic families, the majority of them are white. They are an important voting cohort and can be found in both red and blue states.
SNAP provides a lifeline to affordable food for low-income individuals and families who can use them at stores to purchase food. It’s been a lifesaver for the more than 42 million Americans participating in the program, but it requires a gross income at or below 130% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL). This excludes the many millions of ALICE households struggling to afford food as only 18% received SNAP benefits in 2022.
In an era when rising food costs and accusations of price-gouging dominate the news, this expanded food assistance can’t come fast enough. Lower-income households spend a greater share of their income on food – almost one-quarter (23%) for ALICE households – and are thus more vulnerable to the 26% increase in grocery prices from the last election in November 2020 through March 2024. Not only that, but Covid-enhanced benefits were slashed an average of $97 per month starting in March 2022.
Acknowledging the real pain of ALICE consumers, then doing something about it, is not only the humane thing to do. It would also be an act of enlightened self-interest for political candidates who want to win their votes.
ALICE families can benefit from expanded SNAP benefits
Why Expand SNAP Benefits?
SNAP recipients help the food and grocery industries — SNAP participants account for 24% of consumer packaged goods purchases in the U.S. Consumers spend $18 more per trip on groceries when they use their benefits. With the decrease in SNAP benefits, a study by retailer data firm dunnhumby cited that retailers would lose $20 billion in grocery sales annually. No wonder that food industry trade groups such as the Consumer Brands Association and the American Bakers Association support SNAP.
Expanding SNAP helps productivity — While some may decry it as a government handout, expanding SNAP would actually help workplace productivity. A UNC-Chapel Hill study found that people with diabetes suffering from food insecurity had twice the rate of health-related workplace absenteeism, and ALICE households tend to include wage earners who must report to work.
The SNAP system can deliver affordable food now. Because the SNAP system is already in place, it would not have to be constructed from the ground up, granting critical access to affordable food more quickly. ALICE consumers need help now.
It’s a solution that respects the free market. The Democrats’ proposal to go after price gouging applies to emergency situations only, and the Republican stance to impose tariffs on imported foods will only raise food prices, worsening inflation and making these consumers suffer even more. Supply chain issues have eased, and food prices are stabilizing and in some cases starting to come down. Such proposed measures may upset this trend and will delay relief to ALICE consumers.
Affordable food benefits all demographics. While ALICE voters are disproportionately Black or Hispanic, the largest number of ALICE consumers are white. Appealing to this cohort can either cement and/or broaden a candidate’s attractiveness. With one-quarter to one-third of swing state populations fitting the ALICE classification, delivering this food lifeline to these consumers can impact the outcome in those states.
Lawmakers and candidates should look at the people around them who help make their own lives better by showing up in lower-paying jobs: the laborers, wait staff, childcare workers, trash collectors, and more. Recognize that for these workers, the gap between their take-home pay and affordable food can be burdensome. It’s time to do something about it.