SNAP participants' purchasing patterns at a food co-op during the COVID-19 pandemic: A preliminary analysis

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the food system, increasing barriers to access and exac­erbating insecurity across U.S. Vir­ginia state government initiated a stay-at-home order help reduce spread of COVID-19. Prior pandemic, Virginia Fresh Match (VFM) Nutrition Incentive Network partnered with retail outlets provide Supplemental Assistance Program (SNAP) participants point-of-purchase incentives (e.g., Double Up Food Bucks, SNAP Match), which function as matching discounts on fresh fruits vegetables (F/V). These can enable increase their purchasing power potentially insecurity. In response COVID-19, VFM removed limit incentive (previ­ously $10[1]) further incentivize purchase F/V by participants. This study sought characterize patterns at co-operative (co-op) before during order. A total 654 transactions co-op were included. Independent t-tests utilized determine differences results indicated significant in­crease in mean discount received dur­ing (pre-shutdown=$3.95, inter-shut­down=$5.01, p=0.035); however, simultaneously there was decrease number purchased (pre-shutdown=3.08, inter-shut­down=2.39, p=0.015). Although purchases decreased, presence unlimited point-of-pur­chase may have helped prevent greater decline pur­chases this population onset pandemic.