Exploring Food Purchase Behavior of Low-Income Households: How Do They Economize?

Ephraim Leibtag and Phillip Kaufman

No 33711, Agricultural Information Bulletins from United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service

Abstract: This report compares food purchases by U.S. households of different income levels and finds that low-income shoppers spend less on food purchases despite some evidence that they face generally higher purchase prices. Households can economize on food spending by purchasing more discounted products, favoring private-label (generic) products over brand, pursuing volume discounts, or settling for a less expensive product (for example, less lean beef within a product class. A 1998 sample of food store purchase data shows that low-income households adhere to these practices when possible, but that the typically smaller size of food stores in urban and rural locations may sometimes preclude them from doing so.

Keywords: Food; Consumption/Nutrition/Food; Safety (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 8
Date: 2003
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (32)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:ags:uersab:33711

DOI: 10.22004/ag.econ.33711

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