SNAP bans led to 12% decline in soda purchases | Grocery Dive
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A new study finds SNAP soda bans cut purchases by 12% — and recipients didn't simply swap to buying sugary drinks with their own cash.
Substitution EffectBehavioral EconomicsNudge TheoryPrincipal-Agent Problem
Theory Briefing
- A new academic study found SNAP soda bans led to a 12% drop in sugary drink purchases among recipients.
- Recipients did not compensate by spending their own money on soda, directly challenging a widely held food industry assumption.
- The food industry has long argued that restricting SNAP purchases merely shifts spending rather than changing behavior — this study disputes that.
- The findings reopen the policy debate over whether targeted benefit restrictions can meaningfully shape consumer health outcomes.