Coupon users have known for years that it can be difficult to save money on fresh foods, with many complaining that it’s too easy to save on packaged, processed foods instead. Today, though, with food inflation continuing to impact shoppers, many aren’t just complaining about the price of fresh foods – they say they flat out can’t afford them.
A new survey from Advance America, which offers loans and cash advances to those in financial need, has discovered that many shoppers have found themselves priced out of the produce aisle.
Nearly a third of survey respondents said healthy eating is becoming financially unrealistic for them. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Consumer Price Index, grocery prices have risen 2.7% over the past year, but fruit and vegetable prices have risen 6.1% – the highest rate of increase of any food category.
“In some households, a few extra dollars are an inconvenience,” the survey takers observed. “In others, it changes the entire shopping trip.”
Advance America took a state-by-state look to see who’s most affected. With 60% of families there saying they’re buying fewer fruits and vegetables each week, Colorado led the list. Alaska, Iowa and Oregon followed, with 50% of residents there cutting back.
In dollar figures, North Dakota has it worst, by far. Families there who are still purchasing produce are having to pay an extra $98.80 a month, nearly double the $52 that second-place Idaho is paying.
But “budget pressure doesn’t follow a map,” Advance America cautioned. Inflation’s impact “spans high-cost-of-living states, rural communities, and lower-income households” all across the country. And with so many people cutting back, the survey results show that “for many families, inflation is affecting more than just shopping habits — it’s influencing what ends up on the dinner table.”
Many survey respondents said they still try to incorporate fruits and vegetables into their families’ diets, but often have to make compromises. One in five are opting for frozen fruits or vegetables over fresh. About 10% have turned to canned fruits and vegetables, while another 10% have stopped buying certain favorites altogether.
Perhaps most distressingly, 6% said they’re now buying cheaper processed foods instead of fresh produce. “Produce is supposed to be a staple,” Advance America lamented. “When it starts feeling like a luxury, the frustration goes beyond the receipt.”
40% of respondents said they’re frustrated by rising produce prices, and 25% said it makes them angry. 64% said they’re worried that their diet is less healthy because of grocery costs.
Thankfully, Advance America didn’t use the survey as an opportunity to pivot toward promoting its services as a way to help lower-income shoppers to afford healthier groceries with payday loans or cash advances. But it seems some shoppers are already resorting to such measures, according to a separate survey from LendingTree.
That survey found that “buy now, pay later” users are increasingly relying on the loans for groceries. 29% told LendingTree they have done so, up from 25% a year ago and more than double the 14% from just two years ago. That puts groceries in third place behind apparel and technology devices on the list of items most commonly bought using buy now, pay later.
54% of buy now, pay later users said they wouldn’t be able to make ends meet at all without the loans.
While that may be good for its business, Advance America says figures like that – and survey results that show families are skipping healthy foods because they’re too expensive – are a big concern. “Produce prices matter because fruits and vegetables are supposed to be the sensible choice. When families start cutting back there, it says something bigger about the state of the household budget.”
You’re still not going to find many coupons for fruits and vegetables. But watching for coupons and sales on other items you need, will free up more money in your budget for what your body really needs. Because groceries may be expensive – but your family’s health and well-being are priceless.
