Public understanding of food insecurity varies widely

The public’s familiarity with the term “food insecurity” and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program is mixed, with approximately 40 percent of Americans reporting they are only “slightly familiar” or “not at all familiar” with the concept and program, according to the June Consumer Food Insights Report.

The survey-based results from Purdue University’s Center for Food Demand Analysis and Sustainability assess food spending, consumer satisfaction and values, support of agricultural, and food policies and trust in information sources. Purdue experts conducted and evaluated the survey, which included 1,200 consumers across the U.S.

“Public understanding of food insecurity and of the federally funded programs designed to address it are important as society wrestles with how to best address food insecurity in America,” said the report’s lead author, Joseph Balagtas, professor of agricultural economics at Purdue and director of CFDAS. The Center has been using its monthly CFI survey to estimate the national food insecurity rate every month since January 2022. Using data from the June survey, they estimate that 14.6 percent of American households are food insecure.

The center has been using its monthly CFI survey to estimate the national food insecurity rate every month since January 2022. Using data from the June survey, they estimate that 14.6 percent of American households are food insecure.

“When we ask survey respondents to self-report their food security status, 17.4 percent said they consider their household food insecure,” Joseph Balagtas, CFDAS director and professor agricultural economics, said. “This is not far off from our June food insecurity estimate of 15 percent.”

CFDAS economists find that Americans do not have a great grasp of the extent of the food insecurity problem in the country, but they do have a basic understanding of its root causes.

“Americans estimate that 38 percent of American households are food insecure, or more than twice the actual prevalence. But asked about causes of food insecurity, survey respondents point to high food prices, high costs of other living expenses, and low income or unemployment as the main culprits, which is consistent with economic evidence on the topic,” Balagtas said.

The June CFI report also gauged consumer perceptions on society’s responsibility for dealing with food insecurity. Approximately 80 percent of Americans agree that “everyone has a right to access enough nutritious food, regardless of income,” and that “helping people meet their basic food needs benefits society as a whole.”

The sustainable food purchasing index remained unchanged from last quarter, with an overall score of 70 out of 100. Sustainability in taste and economic dimensions remains high. This means that consumers maintain food purchasing habits aligning with their tastes and budgets, said Elijah Bryant, a survey research analyst at CFDAS and a report co-author.

“Despite scores suggesting that consumers are contemplating or preparing for behavioral change, we have yet to see the average consumer acting in ways that consistently align with environmental and social sustainability,” Bryant said.

The latest survey also suggests that American diet quality continues to leave room for improvement.

“Consistent with previous literature, we find that diet quality among SNAP recipients is lower than nonrecipients, though the overall categorization of average diet quality between the two groups is about the same,” Bryant said. Both groups placed at the low end of the intermediate diet classification.

“One of the biggest shortcomings among SNAP recipients is the intake of fruits and vegetables. While it’s not likely a result of SNAP participation itself, it does point to the impacts of other constraints that have been shown to burden this population of consumers,” he said. “We show in the report how environmental and logistical barriers — such as travel time to the store and means of transportation — are more salient among SNAP households.”

Total weekly food spending rose slightly to $202 per week this month. Year-to-year CFDAS data shows a subtle, yet statistically significant seasonal food spending increase around the early summer months, Bryant noted. “We will see if this pattern holds true as we progress through the summer.”

Expectations for future food inflation remain at 3.8 percent after jumping over one percentage point since January. “We have yet to observe the acceleration of inflation many predicted under the new tariff policy, though some economists feel it is on the horizon this summer,” he said.

So far, the consumer price index growth rate for food has risen only modestly since January and currently sits at 2.9 percent as of the May Bureau of Labor Statistics release.