Small Grocers Speak Out Against SNAP Benefit Delays Amid Government Shutdown

Wed Nov 12 2025 18:13:52 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

The ongoing government shutdown has halted SNAP benefits, affecting millions and putting local grocery stores in jeopardy. Business owners express concern over the economic ripple effects on both their operations and the communities they serve.

The government shutdown has led to a freeze on SNAP benefits, impacting not only the 42 million Americans who rely on these funds but also local grocery stores. Business owners like Ryan Sprankle say the cuts have hurt their revenue and created job insecurity within their establishments. Former World Food Program director Etharin Cousin adds that SNAP serves as a vital economic engine for neighborhoods. With many families struggling to afford groceries, the effects of the funding lapse are being keenly felt across communities.

A little more than a year ago, Ryan Sprankle welcomed President Donald Trump to one of the three grocery stores his family owns near Pittsburgh. Trump was on the campaign trail; they talked about high grocery prices, and the Republican nominee picked up a bag of popcorn.

But these days, Sprankle would have a different message if Trump or any lawmakers visited his store. He wants them to know that delayed SNAP benefits during the government shutdown hurt his customers and his small, independent chain.

“You can’t take away from the most needy people in the country. It’s inhumane,” Sprankle said. “It’s a lack of empathy and it’s on all their hands.

The Trump administration froze funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program at the end of October, impacting food access for some 42 million Americans. Though the U.S. Senate passed legislation to reopen the federal government and replenish SNAP funds, the U.S. House of Representatives still must consider the bill, leaving uncertainty regarding when SNAP payments might resume.

In 2024, SNAP recipients redeemed a little more than $96 billion in benefits, with a majority spent at supermarkets, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. A significant portion is spent at smaller grocery and convenience stores, often located in neighborhoods and accessible to SNAP beneficiaries.

A stalled economic engine

Etharin Cousin, a former director of the United Nations World Food Program, remarked that the cutoff of SNAP benefits had an immediate impact on grocers of various sizes, many of which operate on slim profit margins.

“SNAP isn’t just a social safety net for families. It’s also a local economic engine,” Cousin stated, emphasizing how SNAP funds support local communities.

Although Walmart and Kroger declined to comment on the impact of the SNAP funding lapse, Sprankle highlighted that shoppers not receiving benefits affects all retailers but becomes a significant issue more quickly for small chains. His store relies on SNAP for 25% of its revenue, while other customers are also worried about the shutdown, leading them to cut spending.

“They have families to feed, they have kids to buy gifts for,” he noted. “If I have to sell my truck, we’re going to give Christmas bonuses.”

Liz Abunaw, owner of a new supermarket in Chicago, observed customers unable to afford groceries without SNAP benefits, which she described as essential for her business’s growth.

From neighborhood shops to food pantries

The suspended food aid affected Kanbe’s Markets, a nonprofit distributing produce at convenience stores in Kansas City. Founder Maxfield Kaniger pointed out that some stores saw sales drop significantly shortly after SNAP benefits were halted.

Meanwhile, Babir Sultan, who runs multiple FavTrip convenience stores in food deserts, reported a decrease in foot traffic and decided to offer free produce to SNAP beneficiaries and others in need.

“If you’re in need, just ask, we’ll take care of you,” Sultan said. “Everybody is affected whenever the customer is feeling the pinch.”