Impact of Government Shutdown on SNAP Benefits: Voices from the Ground

Wed Nov 12 2025 18:01:46 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

As the U.S. government shutdown leads to delays in SNAP benefits, small grocers and their communities feel the economic strain. Business owners share their experiences and the hope for a legislative fix.

The delays in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits due to the ongoing government shutdown have significantly impacted small grocery stores across the U.S. In Pennsylvania, grocery owner Ryan Sprankle highlights the struggles faced by his business and communities affected by the funding freeze, urging government officials to recognize the humanitarian implications of their decisions. With large sums of SNAP funds unreleased, grocers like Sprankle and others nationwide express concern over falling sales and economic consequences. Former UN official Etharin Cousin emphasizes the importance of SNAP as crucial not just for food security but as a local economic driver.

More than a year ago, Ryan Sprankle welcomed then-President Donald Trump to one of his grocery stores near Pittsburgh, discussing high grocery prices. Today, he expresses grave concerns about the delays in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits caused by the government shutdown, impacting his customers and his small, independent grocery chain.

“It’s inhumane to take away from the most needy people in the country,” Sprankle said. The Trump administration’s freeze on SNAP funding at the end of October has disrupted food access for around 42 million Americans. Recently, the U.S. Senate passed legislation to reopen the government and replenish SNAP funds, though its future in the House remains uncertain, leaving many anxious about when support will resume.

In 2024, SNAP recipients redeemed over $96 billion in benefits, with 74% of those funds spent at large stores including Walmart and Kroger, and 14% at smaller neighborhood stores vital to many communities.

Etharin Cousin, former director of the UN World Food Program, noted that SNAP serves as both a safety net for families and an economic engine for local businesses that rely on those funds. The absence of SNAP benefits has immediate repercussions, particularly for small grocery owners like Sprankle, who estimates that about 25% of his revenue comes from these benefits.

Store owners across the nation have reported significant drops in sales. For instance, in Chicago, Liz Abunaw, owner of Forty Acres Fresh Market, witnessed a customer unable to afford groceries after the SNAP benefits halt. She describes SNAP as crucial currency for the economy, not just a means of food procurement.

Kanbe’s Markets, a nonprofit distributing food in Kansas City, reports a 10% sales drop at convenience stores following the SNAP delay. CEO Maxfield Kaniger explained the increased demand at local food pantries as customers scramble for support.

The human cost remains stark as convenience store operator Babir Sultan highlighted a decline in foot traffic of 8% to 10% after the funding stop. He has initiated support measures by offering free produce to those in need, emphasizing the shared impact of financial struggles on whole communities.

As the legislative process regarding SNAP funding continues, business owners and their communities await a resolution, scrutinizing the decisions made at the governmental level with mounting urgency.