Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) authorization of discount variety stores: leveraging the private sector to modestly increase availability of healthy foods

Abstract

Background Many lower-income communities in the United States lack a full-line grocery store. There is evidence that the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) increases the availability of healthy foods in stores. One national discount variety store chain (DVS) that is often located in low-income neighborhoods became an authorized WIC vendor in 8 pilot stores. Objectives The objective of this study was to evaluate how implementing WIC in DVS pilot stores affected sales of healthy, WIC-eligible foods. Methods We used DVS sales data and difference-in-differences regression to evaluate how WIC authorization affected sales of WIC-eligible foods in 8 DVS pilot stores, compared with 8 matched comparison stores. Results DVS added 18 new WIC-approved foods to become an authorized vendor. Results indicate that becoming a WIC vendor significantly increased sales of healthy, WIC-eligible foods that DVS carried before authorization. WIC implementation in DVS led to a 31-unit increase in sales of the original WIC foods per week on average (P < 0.01). Lower socioeconomic status, assessed using a summary measure, is associated with increased sales of WIC foods. Yet sales of non-WIC eligible foods (e.g., salty snack foods, candy bars, soda, and processed meats) were not affected by WIC authorization. Conclusions Encouraging DVS stores to become WIC-authorized vendors has the potential to modestly increase DVS sales and the availability of healthy foods in low-income neighborhoods. If WIC authorization is financially viable for small-format variety stores, encouraging similar small-format variety stores to become WIC-authorized has the potential to improve food access.

Lower redemption of monthly Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children benefits associated with higher risk of program discontinuation

“…The similarity of the association between redemption and failure to recertify across race/ ethnicity-language preference strata in the present study suggests that differences in redemption (non-Hispanic Black participants redeeming a smaller percent of WIC food benefits, Spanish-speaking Hispanic participants redeeming a higher percent of WIC food benefits) may contribute to race/ethnicity patterns in participation (14) . Further research is needed to understand factors contributing to observed differences in the distribution of redemption by race/ethnicity-language preference (22)(23)(24) , which may include availability of culturally appropriate substitutions within the WIC food packages (21,25) and structural barriers to WIC benefit redemption including access to WIC-participating vendors with desired WIC foods (26)(27)(28)(29) , and whether individual-and vendor-level interventions to increase redemption can reduce disparities in WIC retention.…”

USDA Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) Vendor Criteria: An Examination of US Administrative Agency Variations

“…Research has found that becoming a vendor led to an increases in both sales of healthy, WIC-eligible foods and in average weekly dollar sales, in comparison to similar stores that were not authorized as a WIC vendor [45]. Discount variety retailers provide an opportunity to provide healthy foods and beverages to low-income rural areas and urban food deserts [45,46]. These small-format stores sell an array of food, household, and other miscellaneous products at reduced prices.…”

A Model Depicting the Retail Food Environment and Customer Interactions: Components, Outcomes, and Future Directions

“…Services provided (e.g., fast food versus “dining experience”) can also indicate a source’s targeted customer base (e.g., income/class, available time, cooking abilities/preferences). Products sold might also reflect a source’s priorities to generate additional revenue streams, such as stores that participate in federal assistance nutrition programs [ 52 ] to expand their customer base, as well as how much local demand is valued over operational convenience (e.g., product variation versus the same products at all locations) [ 53 ].…”