Changes in grocery shopping behaviour among low-income households during the COVID-19 pandemic
Abstract Objective: The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Online Purchasing Pilot (OPP) authorised the use of SNAP benefits online in Maryland in May 2020. We assessed shopping behaviour and intentions associated with uptake and intended future use of online grocery shopping during...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Cambridge University Press
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Public Health Nutrition |
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| Online Access: | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S1368980024002672/type/journal_article |
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| author | Angela CB Trude Caitlin M Lowery Gabriela M Vedovato Shahmir H Ali Josephine M Dudzik |
| author_facet | Angela CB Trude Caitlin M Lowery Gabriela M Vedovato Shahmir H Ali Josephine M Dudzik |
| author_sort | Angela CB Trude |
| collection | DOAJ |
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Abstract
Objective:
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Online Purchasing Pilot (OPP) authorised the use of SNAP benefits online in Maryland in May 2020. We assessed shopping behaviour and intentions associated with uptake and intended future use of online grocery shopping during and after COVID-19 among SNAP-eligible households.
Design:
In this mixed-methods study, participants completed a survey on online grocery shopping, and a purposefully sampled subset participated in focus groups or in-depth interviews between November 2020 and March 2021.
Setting:
Predominantly urban households in Maryland
Participants:
Primary shoppers of SNAP-eligible households with young children (n 310)
Results:
Most participants reported first shopping for groceries online after the OPP was implemented (57 %). Families who purchased groceries in-store less frequently were less likely to report ever buying groceries online (rate ratio (RR): 0·66, 95 % CI 0·46, 0·93) compared with weekly grocery shoppers. Shoppers who intended to purchase more groceries online in the next 6 months were more likely to have online shopping experience, although this differed by timing of online grocery service adoption. Participants reported more negative attitudes towards in-store grocery shopping during the pandemic than prior to its onset and cited COVID-19 as a motivator for ordering groceries online in focus groups. Most participants who had shopped online planned to continue after the pandemic (79 %).
Conclusions:
Most participants who shopped online started during the COVID-19 pandemic and considered the pandemic a key motivator. Findings suggest that low-income households will continue to shop online, affirming the need for policies that promote equitable access to healthy food online.
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| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-cc9ea92262544094b63e94084953b429 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1368-9800 1475-2727 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Cambridge University Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Public Health Nutrition |
| spelling | doaj-art-cc9ea92262544094b63e94084953b4292025-01-27T11:38:09ZengCambridge University PressPublic Health Nutrition1368-98001475-27272025-01-012810.1017/S1368980024002672Changes in grocery shopping behaviour among low-income households during the COVID-19 pandemicAngela CB Trude0Caitlin M Lowery1Gabriela M Vedovato2Shahmir H Ali3Josephine M Dudzik4Department of Nutrition and Food Studies, Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development, New York University, 411 Lafayette St, 5th floor, New York 10003, NY, USADepartment of Nutrition, Gillings School of Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 135 Dauer Dr, Chapel Hill 27599, NC, USAInstitute of Health and Society, Federal University of Sao Paulo, 136 Silva Jardim, Santos 11015-020, SP, BrazilSchool of Global Public Health, New York University, 708 Broadway, New York 10003, NY, USADepartment of Nutrition and Food Studies, Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development, New York University, 411 Lafayette St, 5th floor, New York 10003, NY, USA Abstract Objective: The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Online Purchasing Pilot (OPP) authorised the use of SNAP benefits online in Maryland in May 2020. We assessed shopping behaviour and intentions associated with uptake and intended future use of online grocery shopping during and after COVID-19 among SNAP-eligible households. Design: In this mixed-methods study, participants completed a survey on online grocery shopping, and a purposefully sampled subset participated in focus groups or in-depth interviews between November 2020 and March 2021. Setting: Predominantly urban households in Maryland Participants: Primary shoppers of SNAP-eligible households with young children (n 310) Results: Most participants reported first shopping for groceries online after the OPP was implemented (57 %). Families who purchased groceries in-store less frequently were less likely to report ever buying groceries online (rate ratio (RR): 0·66, 95 % CI 0·46, 0·93) compared with weekly grocery shoppers. Shoppers who intended to purchase more groceries online in the next 6 months were more likely to have online shopping experience, although this differed by timing of online grocery service adoption. Participants reported more negative attitudes towards in-store grocery shopping during the pandemic than prior to its onset and cited COVID-19 as a motivator for ordering groceries online in focus groups. Most participants who had shopped online planned to continue after the pandemic (79 %). Conclusions: Most participants who shopped online started during the COVID-19 pandemic and considered the pandemic a key motivator. Findings suggest that low-income households will continue to shop online, affirming the need for policies that promote equitable access to healthy food online. https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S1368980024002672/type/journal_articleFood securityFood assistanceDiffusion of innovationNutrition policy |
| spellingShingle | Angela CB Trude Caitlin M Lowery Gabriela M Vedovato Shahmir H Ali Josephine M Dudzik Changes in grocery shopping behaviour among low-income households during the COVID-19 pandemic Public Health Nutrition Food security Food assistance Diffusion of innovation Nutrition policy |
| title | Changes in grocery shopping behaviour among low-income households during the COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_full | Changes in grocery shopping behaviour among low-income households during the COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_fullStr | Changes in grocery shopping behaviour among low-income households during the COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_full_unstemmed | Changes in grocery shopping behaviour among low-income households during the COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_short | Changes in grocery shopping behaviour among low-income households during the COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_sort | changes in grocery shopping behaviour among low income households during the covid 19 pandemic |
| topic | Food security Food assistance Diffusion of innovation Nutrition policy |
| url | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S1368980024002672/type/journal_article |
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