How Were Extra SNAP Benefits Spent?
An economic analysis estimating how recipients of emergency SNAP benefits during the pandemic allocated additional funds, primarily to food consumption.
An analysis of how households spent emergency SNAP benefits distributed during the COVID-19 pandemic using household panel data and an event-study approach.
Researchers found that recipients primarily used the additional funds to increase food-at-home spending by about $150 per month, with little evidence of spending on non-food items. The study also estimates a marginal propensity to consume of roughly 0.5, suggesting that the extra benefits had a meaningful but targeted impact on household consumption. The findings highlight how the emergency allotments supported food security for low-income households without significantly altering broader spending behavior.
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