WED-098 - From Farmers' Markets to Stores: How SNAP Shoppers Discover the Double up Food Bucks Program

Brief Abstract Summary: Food insecurity affects over 18 million U.S. households, with Texas bearing a disproportionate burden. To address these disparities, the Sustainable Food Center (SFC) partnered with GusNIP to scale up the Double Up Food Bucks Program (DUFB), which provides SNAP participants with a dollar-for-dollar match on purchases of fruits and vegetables at participating farmers’ markets and supermarkets. This study surveyed 352 participants across Texas to examine the differences in how participants learned about DUFB. Results indicated that supermarket shoppers most often heard about DUFB from cashiers, while farmers’ market shoppers cited marketing information through social media and health clinics. Grocery store signage and friends or family were common sources across both groups. Findings suggest that outreach strategies should be tailored to the setting, leveraging in-person touchpoints at supermarkets, and employing a multi-channel approach at farmers’ markets.

Detailed abstract description:

Introduction: Food insecurity remains a critical challenge in the United States, affecting over 18 million households in 20231. Texas carries a disproportionate burden, where 16.4% of residents experience food insecurity.2 To address these disparities, the Sustainable Food Center (SFC) partnered with the USDA’s Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program (GusNIP) to expand nutrition incentives across Texas. Through a three-year initiative, the Double Up Food Bucks (DUFB) program has expanded to additional farmers’ markets and supermarkets, offering Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) participants a dollar-for-dollar match on purchases of fruits and vegetables. This study examined differences in DUFB awareness pathways between farmers’ market and supermarket customers to inform targeted outreach strategies.

Methods: In collaboration with SFC, the UTHealth Houston School of Public Health and Baylor University conducted a six-month quantitative survey. SNAP participants were recruited at farmers’ markets and supermarkets in select Texas cities offering DUFB. Surveys captured sociodemographics, food security, DUFB use, and the methods by which people learned about the program. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Chi-square analyses and Fisher’s exact tests were used as appropriate. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05.

Results: A total of 231 SNAP participants who use DUFB completed the survey, including 107 from farmers’ markets and 124 from supermarkets. Overall, the most common sources of DUFB awareness were farmers’ markets, grocery store cashiers, grocery store signage/promotional items, and friends or family. Supermarket participants were more likely to learn about DUFB from a grocery store cashier (p < 0.001). Farmers’ market participants more often cited a local non-profit’s website (p = 0.002), information at a farmers’ market (p < 0.001), social media (p = 0.005), and other sources (p < 0.001). There were no statistically significant differences between farmers’ market and supermarket shoppers when it came to learning about DUFB through grocery store signage, Fresh for Less mobile markets, The Happy Kitchen/La Cocina Alegre, friends or family, health clinic, WIC nutritionists, community health workers, or SNAP sign-up coordinators. No participants reported newspapers, schools, or libraries as a source of information. These patterns reflected the recruitment location: farmers’ market shoppers most often cited market-based sources, while supermarket shoppers pointed to cashiers.

Discussion: Outreach strategies should be tailored to the shopping setting. Supermarkets benefit from trained cashiers explaining DUFB, while farmers’ market customers respond better to digital, in-person, and community channels. Tailoring outreach sources to the shopping setting may improve overall program uptake.