The shutdown will halt about $8 billion a month in federal food assistance. Walmart captures 24% of all SNAP shopper spending, according to Numerator’s 2025 SNAP Evolution report—triple Kroger’s share and far ahead of Costco, Amazon and Sam’s Club.
Walmart was the first retailer to accept SNAP online in all 50 states in 2023 and launched the Walmart+ Assist program, which offers half-price memberships for those receiving aid.
“If SNAP payments stop, spending by the lowest income groups will fall,” said Neil Saunders, managing director of data and analytics firm GlobalData. “Walmart gets a plurality of the spending, so it will be hit the hardest.”
This was somewhat epiphanic for me.
I already recognized companies such as Walmart were subsidizing pay through social programs such as SNAP and essential funneling/laundering tax payer money to their executives.
This headline made me further realize they’re not only making taxpayers subsidize wages, they’ve also effectively turned the USD into a form of company scrip. While that scrip can be spent at some other locations I bet a large percent of funneled right back to e.g. Walmart itself. If you already work at Walmart it makes spending your SNAP benefit there easier.
I don’t see the schadenfreude. The article is very matter-of-fact, and focuses entirely on Walmart itself. In this particular case I think the schadenfreude would be too bitter anyway, on account of all the people who are suffering because of this.
It’s not “low income groups will go without food” it’s “low income groups will not spend as much” and that’s about the only consideration that particular population gets.
I grew up a povvo bitch, granted in a country where that sort of thing doesn’t hit as hard. We have social security nets, and every school has free lunches for kids. Even so, I was acutely aware of the situation from a very young age, and the stress of “do we pay the bills or do we have food to eat” is not a fun one. Even today I’m still plagued by the habits and worries formed back then.
No one should have to live under such circumstances.