The association between food benefit online ordering and redemptions

Evidence from the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children

Bibliographic Data

ID15096009
AuthorsJunzhou Zhang (0000-0001-7049-1931, Montclair State University), Chuanyi Tang (0000-0002-7203-2664, Old Dominion University), Kayoung Park (0000-0003-3876-3364, Old Dominion University), Qi Zhang (0009-0000-5229-2496, Old Dominion University, corresponding author)
Year2025
Volume28
Issue1
Pagese147-e147
Publication date2025-01-01
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenuePublic Health Nutrition (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1368-9800 • E-ISSN: 1475-2727
PublisherCambridge University Press (CUP) (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1017/s1368980025100931
PMID40859428
OpenAlexW4413735137
LanguageEN
References cited30

Objective: To examine how the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) online food benefit ordering could influence WIC benefit redemptions. Design: A cross-sectional study. We compare the average redemption rates between online ordering early adopters and non-adopters among WIC customers before and after implementing WIC online ordering. A propensity score-weighted difference-in-difference model was used to estimate the coefficients. Setting: The Oklahoma WIC programme and a grocery store chain in Oklahoma. Participants: 12743 Oklahoma WIC households that had redeemed their food benefits at the grocery store chain in 2020. Results: WIC online ordering significantly positively affected redemption rates for eight of the fifteen food categories. For example, the difference-in-difference coefficients ( P –values) of these food categories were cheese or tofu (0·077, P P = 0·015). There were no significant changes in the redemption of fruits and vegetables (Coefficient = 0·031, P = 0·121). Conclusion: Adopting WIC online ordering was positively associated with benefit redemption rates among most food benefit categories. Our findings provide preliminary but important evidence regarding online food benefit redemption among low-income consumers

Association (psychology · Environmental health · Food Security and Health in Diverse Populations · Medicine · Psychology · Pediatrics

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Open DOIOpen Access