SNAP Participants, Shopping at Farmers Markets, and the Role of Financial Incentives: Findings from Focus Groups

1
SNAP Participants, Shopping at Farmers Markets,
and the Role of Financial Incentives Findings
from Focus Groups

• APHA Annual Conference, New Orleans, November 17,
  2014
• Keith MacAllum, Cynthia Robins, and Mustafa
  Karakus, Westat
• Eric Sean Williams, Food and Nutrition Service,
  USDA

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Presenter Disclosure

• Keith MacAllum
• The following personal financial relationships
  with commercial interests relevant to this
  presentation that existed during the past 12
  months
• No relationships to disclose

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Research Questions

• What are SNAP participants shopping patterns
• for groceries in general
• for fruits and vegetables
• at farmers markets in general
• at specific farmers markets
• What are the reasons for shopping or not shopping
  at farmers markets (FM)?
• What role do financial incentives play?

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Methodology

• 12 focus groups (N 106 adults)
• 4 each in Atlanta, San Diego, and San Francisco
• 2 Frequent Shopper and 2 Non-Frequent Shopper
  groups in each city
• All 4 groups in San Diego conducted in Spanish
• Recruited from SNAP lists, community outreach,
  and Craigs List within targeted zipcodes
• Screened for frequency of shopping at target
  market
• 60 cash incentive
• Audio taped and transcribed

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Focus Group Participant Characteristics

• 70 female
• 38 African American
• 36 Hispanic (incl. all 31 San Diego
  participants)
• 85 over 30 years old (range 21 to 79)
• 22 had college degree 25 had some college
• 79 frequent shoppers shopped at local target
  market four or more times within past 12 months
• Half of the non-frequent shoppers had done so

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General Grocery Shopping Patterns

• FMs rarely mentioned as primary general shopping
  venue by SNAP participants
• FM occasionally mentioned as the venue for
  shopping for fruits and vegetables, specifically
• Shopped most often at large supermarkets
• Shopped infrequently at convenience stores
• EBT card usage highest at primary store
  (supermarkets)
• EBT card acceptance among top reasons for
  shopping at a primary store

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Shopping at Farmers Markets

• Reported higher levels of freshness and quality
  at FMs versus traditional supermarket
• Reported that wider variety of fruits and
  vegetables influenced their purchases at FMs
• Ability to sample food also influenced purchases
• Proportion of SNAP benefits spent at FMs varied
  widely, 10 to 80 with majority estimating 30
• Substantial numbers expressed lack of awareness
  that EBT was accepted at FMs
• Learned that SNAP was accepted mainly through
  word-of-mouth, followed by mailed flyers

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Shopping at Target Farmers Market

• Well-established in community
• Non-frequent shoppers also aware of market
• Few participants cited signs or advertisement
• Frequent shoppers shopped at target market for at
  least 2-3 years, with many over 5 years
• Wide variation in shopping frequency, resulting
  in overlap in frequency between Freq and Non-Freq
• Private car cited most often, followed by public
  transportation and walking
• The 30 minute barrier
• Opportunistic shopping market was not always
  primary destination, but participant was in the
  area

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Shopping at Target Farmers Market (cont)

• Effect of seasonality on shopping patterns
• Purchases tended to vary what is available
  interest in new item needs of family and price
• Price alone is not the driving factor
• Good deals
• Seasonality
• Value

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Reasons for Shopping at Farmers Markets

• Participants cited a wide array of reasons
• High-quality produce
• Diverse and unique products
• Organic / Healthier
• Helpful staff and sellers
• Preference to buy locally grown produce
• Opportunity to support local growers
• Prices at FM more transparent than supermarket
• Price vs Value
• Community-related nature of shopping experience

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The Social Experience

• Shopping at FM described as a social event for
  family with opportunities for fun and
  learning
• Enjoyable activity vs. a routine chore
• Homey atmosphere vs. corporate environment
• Personal vs anonymous
• Interactive vs. static
• Family friendly with connection to kinfolk
• A learning experience and positive influence
• Embedded in the community

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Price Versus Value

• Perceived cost serves either as a benefit or
  barrier
• Non-freq shoppers tended to view prices to be
  higher, Freq shoppers perceived them to be lower
• Most common response It depends
• Respondents referenced calculated budgeting and
  comparison shopping to maximize their benefits
• Distinction between unit price and overall value
• Quality
• Freshness
• Longer lasting
• Healthier

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Reasons for Not Shopping at Farmers Market

• Inconvenience
• Location / proximity
• Day and Hours of operation
• Preference for one-stop shopping
• Lack of awareness that EBT card is accepted
• Sense of feeling unwelcome

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Role of Financial Incentives

• Frequent shoppers more aware of incentives
• SF shoppers most aware of incentives
• Reliance on word-of-mouth rather than
  advertisements
• Incentives play an important but qualified role
• Non-Freq shoppers expressed greater interest in
  shopping at FM after learning about incentive
• However, incentive did not always overcome
  inconvenience
• And, many Freq shoppers who use incentives report
  they would continue shopping at FM without it
• Unclear if increased shopping at FM would result
  in greater consumption of FV or simply be a cost
  saver

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Recommendations

• Policy and Programming Changes
• Offer financial incentives and ease their use
• Provide better and expanded advertising
• Offer educational and nutritional information
• Leverage the social experience dimension of FMs
• Structural Market Changes
• Make shopping at Farmers Markets more convenient
• Expand offerings of available products

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For Additional Information

• Karakus, M., MacAllum, K., Milfort, R., and Hao,
  H. (Forthcoming, 2014). Nutrition Assistance in
  Farmers Markets Understanding the Shopping
  Patterns of SNAP Participants. Prepared by
  Westat for the U.S. Department of Agriculture,
  Food and Nutrition Service, Office of Research
  and Analysis.
• Conducted under Contract AG-3198-B-10-0029
• with the Food And Nutrition Service
• Mustafa Karakus, Westat Project Director
  mkarakus_at_wesat.com
• Eric Sean Williams, FNS Project Officer
  eric.williams_at_fns.usda.gov