Abstract
Background
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) (formerly Food Stamp Program) participants
can use their benefits at many farmers' markets. However, most markets have only one
market-operated wireless point-of-sale (POS) card swipe terminal for electronic benefits
transfer (EBT) transactions. It is not known whether providing each farmer/vendor
with individual wireless POS terminals and subsidizing EBT fees will increase SNAP/EBT
purchases at farmers' markets.
Objective
To evaluate the effects of multiple vendor-operated wireless POS terminals (vs a single
market-operated terminal) on use of SNAP benefits at an urban farmers' market.
Design
Time-series analyses of SNAP/EBT sales.
Setting
The Clark Park farmers' market in West Philadelphia, PA, which accounts for one quarter
of all SNAP/EBT sales at farmers' markets in Pennsylvania.
Intervention
Vendors were provided with individual wireless POS terminals for 9 months (June 2008-February
2009.) The pilot program covered all equipment and wireless service costs and transaction
fees associated with SNAP/EBT, credit, and debit sales.
Main outcome measure
Monthly SNAP/EBT sales at the Clark Park farmers' market.
Statistical analyses
SNAP/EBT sales data were collected for 48 months (January 2007-December 2010). Time-series
regression analysis was used to estimate the effect of the intervention period (June
2008-February 2009) on SNAP/EBT sales, controlling for seasonal effects and total
SNAP benefits issued in Philadelphia.
Results
The intervention was associated with a 38% increase in monthly SNAP/EBT sales. Effects
were greatest during the busy fall market seasons. SNAP/EBT sales did not remain significantly
higher after the intervention period.
Conclusions
Providing individual wireless POS terminals to farmers' market vendors leads to increased
sales. However, market vendors indicated that subsidies for equipment costs and fees
would be needed to break even. Currently, SNAP provides some support for these services
for supermarket and other SNAP retailers with landline access, but not for farmers'
markets.
Keywords
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Biography
A. M. Buttenheim is assistant professor of Nursing at the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, and a senior fellow of the Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia.
Biography
J. Havassy is serving with the US Navy; at the time of the study, he was a research assistant, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Health & Society Scholars Program, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia.
Biography
M. Fang is an undergraduate student, Department of History and Sociology of Science, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia; at the time of the study, she was a research assistant, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Health & Society Scholars Program, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia.
Biography
J. Glyn is with Whole Foods, Philadelphia, PA; at the time of the study, he was a farmers' market manager at The Food Trust, Philadelphia, PA.
Biography
A. E. Karpyn is director of Research and Evaluation, The Food Trust, Philadelphia, PA.
Article info
Publication history
Published online: March 19, 2012
Accepted:
December 13,
2011
Footnotes
Available online 15 March 2012.
STATEMENT OF POTENTIAL CONFLICT OF INTEREST No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.
FUNDING/SUPPORT This study was funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Health & Society Scholars program at the University of Pennsylvania.
Identification
Copyright
© 2012 Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
