The federally funded Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.. offers nutrition assistance to…low income Americans…. SNAP helps people afford food at stores and farmers markets. But … SNAP users often live in food deserts. … So, activists are petitioning…to have SNAP benefits expanded to buy food online.
This is an obvious fix that the USDA should make. … [But] it’s disheartening to see it championed by … Thrive Market, an online retailer of organic, non–genetically modified, and gluten-free fare, and the Environmental Working Group.
. . . Thrive’s campaign seems benevolent, and the cause is certainly just. … But the campaign’s benevolence is only surface-deep…. Thrive’s products are nonperishable… like oils, meat sticks … and chips. The site’s offerings are … devoid of fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables….
The organic industry has historically differentiated its products by making false claims as this Academics Review marketing report explains, and like many other Americans, SNAP users might take the bait.
. . . Thrive fare is marketed as healthy. . . But just because [it’s] non-GMO or mostly organic does not make [it] healthier… It does, however, . . . make [it] more expensive.
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. . . [I]t’s most important to consume plenty of fruits and vegetables. . . There’s no reason to spend more money on organic, non-GMO hype.
The GLP aggregated and excerpted this blog/article to reflect the diversity of news, opinion and analysis. Read full, original post: Food Stamp Users Should Be Able to Shop Online
