A historic change in how Americans buy groceries is underway as SNAP benefit cuts begin

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: NBC News

Sept. 2, 2025, 9:18 PM EDT / Source: CNBC


On Monday, under new policy included in President Trump’s tax law, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits that have provided low-income Americans with more purchasing power in the grocery store begin to go into effect. According to one estimate, it is “the largest cut to SNAP in history,” a federal program which in one form or another dates back to the New Deal era and currently provides basic food assistance to more than 40 million people.

Grocers large and small are bracing for the impact of changes to the SNAP program. A CBO analysis released this month estimates that 2.4 million fewer Americans, including families with children, are forecast to receive food stamps benefits in an average month. Other estimates show families across the U.S. could lose anywhere from $72 to $231 per month in support.

While low-income Americans will have more difficulty qualifying for the benefits, many experts predict that some of the largest grocers, despite having many SNAP recipients among their ranks of customers, may actually benefit. According to consumer data company Numerator’s verified purchase data for SNAP users, Walmart leads in SNAP shopper spend with 24 percent, followed by Kroger (8%), Costco (6%), Amazon (5%), and Sam’s Club (4%).

“On the surface one would think less SNAP would be a negative, but the way these things have played out in the past and the way I think it will play out this time is that discount grocers that focus on value, these kinds of economic headwinds for lower-income customers end up being a positive,” said Michael Baker, analyst at D.A. Davidson & Co.

Read more: https://www.nbcnews.com/business/consumer/historic-change-americans-buy-groceries-underway-snap-benefit-cuts-beg-rcna228625

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This "business" verbal vomit neglects to say that the "trading down" to a "BJ"s means a "membership fee" (as does Amazon, Costco's & Sam's Club) that many of these households will not be able to afford due to OTHER cuts to their income, which is why they need access to SNAP in the first place. Talk about tone deaf.

MEMBERSHIP FEES

AMAZON
Prime = $139/yr

COSTCO'S
Gold Star = $65/yr
Executive = $130/yr

SAM'S CLUB
Standard = $50/yr
Plus = $110/yr

BJ's WHOLESALE
Basic = $60/yr
Club+ = $120/yr

[no_hypocrisy]

1. Food pantries will be stressed.

Supermarkets, bodegas, and grocery stores will lose profit.

[BumRushDaShow]

4. And especially with the crops that will rot in the field

while the MAGat farmer scratches his head and shrugs, meaning less available produce in the stores and what is there, will be more expensive due to import tariffs... And the can manufacturers will find the cost of aluminum for their cans has skyrocketed so they have to add that to the cost of the cans being bought by food companies, who use them for their finished food products, and who will in turn raise the prices of (so-called "cheap" ) canned goods for the consumer.

[markodochartaigh]

13. I remember

the miles long lines of cars at food distribution stations when the economy crashed under Trump's first term. Too bad most US voters didn't remember.

[essaynnc]

2. I don't follow their logic.....

How in the world does less money to spend equate to better situation for the grocers? I see their revenue plummeting by the amount of the reduction in SNAP benefits. So poorer people go to less expensive stores? How does that help? Walmart? Or Kroger's or anybody?

Enlighten me, I'm not seeing it. Except a positive spin on the cruelty of the administration.

[BumRushDaShow]

5. It's "verbal vomit".

[Bengus81]

7. If you can't blind them with brilliance then baffle them with BULLSHIT applies here

That story is like saying how much tariffs will help consumers--a totally LIE.

[muriel_volestrangler]

9. They're saying this could drive smaller supermarkets out of business, while the bigger ones weather the storm

and pick up the custom.

[live love laugh]

28. The bigger ones being part of the 1% ... it's all quid pro quo.

[OnlinePoker]

35. So food deserts will grow across the country. n/t

[Marthe48]

14. 1984

Bad is good. Down is up. And so on.

For people who have never had to compare prices to save pennies, there is no comprehension about the devastation their greed will cause.

I like the idea of leaving money tucked into products in the supermarket. I read that there was a trend to tuck money into feminine products, or disposable diapers. I figure whoever finds it can use the lift.

[markodochartaigh]

16. " I don't follow their logic"

That's because it isn't logic. It is the usual right-wing nonsensical trope that "less is really more" for the poor and working class. It is just shallow rationalization used as a pretext to justify policies that will make the rich richer and the poor poorer. Really the only use for this line of reasoning is to show that the one espousing it is either a willing accomplice to Republican cruelty or a useful idiot.

[Skittles]

39. well said

yup

[DBoon]

18. Economists call it an "inferior good"

Something where demand goes up as income goes down. Like potatoes

Not a good thing - just a description.

I would expect to see more dumpster diving for food items too.

[mathematic]

20. LOL @ nobody giving you the actual answer: other stores can't compete with their low prices

With fewer SNAP benefits, customers will prioritize low cost providers. So low cost providers will out compete higher cost providers.

It's not magic. It's not nonsense. It's a predictable and well known consequence of this kind of policy change. It's being mentioned in the article because it's a business article, meant to inform about how policy changes will affect businesses. It's crazy that this needs to be said but this kind of journalism is legitimate and useful.

[tableturner]

38. Correct; shoppers who formerly used SNAP will change to lower cost grocers.

So sales lost by lower cost grocers due to lower SNAP benefits will will be made up via purchases of those who formerly used SNAP benefits at non discount grocers who will change where they shop, which will now be with lower cost grocers.

Mostly this will be seen with SNAP shoppers who shopped at mainstream chains like Publix or Kroger, who will change to Walmart after losing those SNAP benefits. Some of it will be shoppers switching to Walmart or other chains from shopping at independents, but most of it by far will be from switching from mainstream chains to Walmart.

[NickB79]

23. Simple. More people buying cheap, processed shit at Walmart

And less money spent on fresh vegetables, meat and dairy at farmer's markets and smaller grocery stores.

It's better for the BIG grocers, not all grocers.

[Irish_Dem]

3. Bum I agree. I read the entire article and it makes no sense to me.

SNAP recipients going to Costco for example is going to be expensive.
And they have to buy in bulk which saves money in the long run, but they
don't have the ready cash to do so.

The only thing I agree with is that the greedy corporate grocery chains will
try like hell to screw the poor with the new Trump changes.

[popsdenver]

12. AND, the Walmart heirs will just have to

figure out a better way to subsidize their extremely low wages with something else, due to the numerous Federal and State benefits being cut, that their employees have needed to barely subsist.......

And the ones that are REALLY gonna feel it, are all in Rural America who were all in lockstep voting for these Republicans.......It is gonna be a humongous case of FAFO.......Walmart flooded Rural America, wiping out all the private small independent stores......Now I can only imagine that Walmart will have to shut down stores, starting with Rural America, because of poorer sales revenue as this national nightmare gets worse.

In addition, in all these rural communities, their tiny local hospitals are shutting down and will continue to close due to Trump's trashing of the entire medical industry, as well as Medicare and Medicaid...............

[Irish_Dem]

31. No stores, no groceries, no healthcare.

Who will they blame it on?

[popsdenver]

33. We know who they blame for everything

Hillary, Obama, Biden........they were even blaming Bill Clinton last week..........

One of Trump's CABAL were blaming Obama for Something that was done and the reporter said Oh, back in 2017, the woman said yes.....and the guy told her that Obama wasn't even president, Trump was, and she said there you go again with the left wing lies........

the nation's psychiatrists are continuing to say, that if all a person does is listen to Fox news and/or RW Radio for ten years, it is effectively brain washing them, and we are seeing it every day.......

[LisaM]

26. They might also not have the storage space to buy in bulk.

I am not using SNAP benefits, but one thing no one talks about as they force us into ever smaller apartments is that there is no ability to buy in bulk. We have extremely limited storage space. It's not just about the capital outlay. I can't take advantage of a lot of sales or discounts because of space considerations.

[Irish_Dem]

32. Exactly. People take adequate storage space for granted.

Many people have to be very careful with purchases, there is no place to put them.

[progree]

36. Or people who take the bus to buy groceries, as I do, can't buy much in bulk

I can only carry/haul so much at a time manually (I have a 2/3 mile walk from the bus stop to home is the biggest factor).

On storage, my refrigerator and its freezer compartment are the most limiting to me.

[LisaM]

37. Same here. I do most shopping on foot or bus or transit.

I can only carry so much.

[littlemissmartypants]

6. What a convoluted mess this article is. Good grief.

This guy needs to stick with writing about a topic he knows, AI. I wouldn't put it past him to have had the entire article written for him.

[FakeNoose]

8. I think grocery shopping is still mainly done in-person at the store, rather than home delivery

Amazon Prime capitalizes on the "free delivery" aspect of their business, and it's the thing that keeps me coming back year after year. It doesn't seem that SNAP customers are a large percentage of Amazon Prime - but I could be wrong.

I can see that Walmart and grocery chains will be affected by changes in SNAP, but not so much for the other retailers.

[BWdem4life]

24. We have an Amazon Fresh store nearby

And though we resisted going there for a few years, recent sticker shock at the Safeway had us trying other places. We discovered that prices were actually 20-40% cheaper at the Amazon Fresh store, even including Safeway's "Just For U" deals. And a Prime membership was not required in order to shop there. But we got one anyway because we calculated that extra savings would more than pay for it over the course of a year.

[FakeNoose]

34. Good to know, thanks!

[modrepub]

10. Also Affecting Welfare Managers

Government workers are in the front lines for determining who is eligible for SNAP and telling those that have work requirements they no longer get them unless they work a minimum of 20 hours a week.

Let’s just say there are a lot more people applying than people processing. Mistakes will be made so now states are being punished with additional reductions if they don’t remove those who aren’t eligible. So we’re going to see stress from people losing their benefits and those working to process them.

[Figarosmom]

11. What bs

Most snap is the only funds available for groceries. In order to buy groceries without snap. Something else will be cut like heat turned down to 65 °, or wifi gone if they even had it. TV will be cut. Clothing allowances will be less etc. Food it's will be less nutritional. Yes, food pantries will be stressed and may even put higher restrictions on qualifying for amounts of food given.

[SamKnause]

15. Bullshit.

You have to be one ignorant fuck to believe that.

Trump loves the uneducated.

If you are one of the uneducated that voted for Trump, enjoy the cuts.

[IronLionZion]

17. make Americans desperate and afraid again

Last edited Wed Sep 3, 2025, 10:27 AM - Edit history (1)

this also ripples through to impact farmers, food processors, and other parts of the food supply chain. Reducing people's ability to buy food reduces demand. Deporting and imprisoning the migrant farm workers reduces supply. So evil all around.

But the price of eggs...

[Historic NY]

19. We have a family plan with Sams Club

I'm in NY and the rest are in Florida. I know we accumulate Sam's cash on purchases. We save it for holiday get togethers and to pay the membership. The Florida Sam's have a lot more stuff than up north including liquor.

I only buy stuff that I use regularly paper goods, irish butter, bottled water, detergents, some frozen items. Most of the stuff is cheaper than my regular grocer. My reg. grocery does discount and it important to have their app or the customer card. Items get discounted at the register automatically.

Sams is some what cheaper then their non wholesale store Walmart.

Amazon pays you back if you have their credit card. It usually has a set limit of 500. The game there is subscription services for products you use. I have coffee pods, stevia, gum, razor blades, and a variety of regular use item its set which you can change delivery for from one month forward to 3,4 6, months and can stop at any time.

A pack of gun Orbit in the supermarket is over $3.00 they have 12 pack for 14.00. A box of 100 Stevia pack is 5.63, grocer 12.00 and walmart 12.61.

So it comes down to figuring out what you use regularly to stock up on every couple of month to extend you shopping dollar .

[Jacson6]

21. If you are on SNAP Amazon only charges $7.50 per month.

But I live in a rural area and I have Amazon package delivery once a month that would cost me more if I didn't have prime. Plus I get lots of TV/Movies/Football for $7.50 a month so it is a fair deal. IMHO.

[Bayard]

22. $72 to $231 is a week's worth of groceries to many people

Losing it means a lot of hungry people.

[not a texan]

25. If you only read the first sentence you get the opposite meaning.

Please read that first sentence again. It makes it sound like the benefits are increasing. I have read that many people don't read past the headline and the first paragraph if they even get that far. Come on media, state it in your first sentence, cuts are coming to low income people, quit sucking up to the powers that be.

[getagrip_already]

27. shoplifting and food theft will certainly increase.....

People have to eat, regardless of income.

Not condoning it. Just expecting it.

[Hekate]

29. Sadly, I recall that farmers used to be in favor of food subsidies because it was a direct benefit to THEM

What the hell happened?

[BumRushDaShow]

30. They got spoiled

because until Obama got into office and RW heads exploded, they NEVER touched the Farm Bill.

It was sacrosanct because it was guaranteed subsidies.

Then they started screwing with it and invoking the "welfare cheats" tropes to justify slashing funding out of it. And as part of that, they would delay passage of it it in an attempt to cut SNAP and TANF, etc. (it goes on a federal FY cycle of Oct. 1 - Sept. 30).

They haven't passed a Farm Bill (which is a 5-year appropriations document) "on time" since 2008. They have extended them before finally passing a final version each time (that would fill out the remaining years in the 5-year round).

The current one is an extension of the 2023 one (with little or no increases in funding for it).

[Bengus81]

40. Now they're just in favor of certain subsidies---THEIRS

[raccoon]

41. GD all the Republicans.