CMFPC Team
Mar 31, 2026
What proposed SNAP purchase limits could mean for families, retailers, and food access across North Carolina
What’s happening
North Carolina is currently exploring whether to limit what people can buy using SNAP (food stamps)—specifically items like soda and candy.
These types of proposals are known as SNAP food restriction waivers, which allow states to request permission from the federal government to limit certain purchases within the program.
At the federal level, the United States Department of Agriculture has framed these waivers as follows:
“USDA is empowering states with greater flexibility to manage their programs by approving SNAP Food Restriction Waivers that restrict the purchase of non-nutritious items like soda and candy. These waivers are a key step in ensuring that taxpayer dollars provide nutritious options that improve health outcomes within SNAP.”— USDA (https://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/waivers/foodrestriction)
Before making any decisions, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services is asking for feedback from people who work in food access, public health, retail, and community services.
⭐ There is a short survey open right now for stakeholders to share their input.
‼️ The survey closes April 7, 2026.
Why this matters
At first glance, restricting certain foods might seem like a way to improve health. But in practice, policies like this are complex to implement and unlikely to drive meaningful change on their own.
As a regional food systems organization working directly with SNAP participants, farmers markets, and community partners, we believe it’s important to look at:
How this would actually work in real stores
How it would affect families day-to-day
Whether it would truly improve nutrition
What solutions are already proven to work
Our Perspective
1. This puts the burden on SNAP recipients and not the system
SNAP participants are already navigating tight budgets, limited access, and complex tradeoffs. Food restrictions don’t remove those challenges, they add new ones.
This could mean:
Fewer flexible food options at checkout
Confusion about what is and isn’t allowed
More visible, and often uncomfortable, transactions
At its core, this shifts responsibility onto families without addressing the conditions they’re operating in.
2. Restrictions don’t fix the real issue: affordability and access
The biggest barriers to healthy eating aren’t about awareness. They are about cost and availability. Research shows that limiting purchases does not significantly change overall eating habits.
Families are making decisions within constraints:
The price of fresh food
Limited nearby options
Competing expenses like rent, utilities, and healthcare
You can’t restrict your way out of an access problem.
3. This creates operational strain for stores and frontline staff
Grocery stores, especially small and rural ones, would be responsible for enforcing these rules in real time.
That leads to:
Longer checkout times
More transaction errors
Increased pressure on staff to interpret and enforce unclear rules
This shifts complexity onto already beleagured workers.
4. Implementation will be complex and expensive
Restricting specific items requires a system overhaul, not just a policy decision.
It would involve:
Reprogramming EBT systems
Defining which products are restricted (often unclear)
Statewide retailer training and compliance systems
All of this comes with real unaccounted for cost and no clear return on investment.
5. There is already a proven solution: incentives
We don’t have to guess what works—we’ve already tested it!
Programs that increase purchasing power for healthy food consistently show results.
The Local Food Purchasing Assistance (LFPA) program increased fruit and vegetable consumption
Programs like SNAP Double Bucks allow SNAP shoppers to double their dollars on fresh food, high quality food
When people can afford healthier food, they choose it.
What we recommend
Based on both experience and evidence, North Carolina should:
Not pursue SNAP food restrictions
Expand nutrition incentive programs like SNAP Double Bucks
Invest in food access—especially in underserved communities
Center dignity, choice, and real-world usability in policy decisions
Have your voice heard
If you work in:
Food access or anti-hunger programs
Public health
Retail or grocery
Community-based services
👉 Your perspective matters in this decision.
🔗 Take the stakeholder survey: https://ncdhhs.typeform.com/SNAP-Survey
📅 Deadline: April 7, 2026
Acknowledgment
As members of the North Carolina Food System Advocacy Coalition, we are grateful for the coalition’s leadership in compiling background information and keeping partners across the state informed on this issue. This kind of coordination allows for stronger, more informed engagement at a critical moment.
About Us
The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Food Policy Council works to strengthen the local food system across Mecklenburg County and the surrounding region. Our work includes expanding SNAP access, supporting farmers markets, and advancing policies that improve food access, equity, and community health.
Closing Thought
If we want better nutrition outcomes, we have to invest in better access. Restrictions don’t build healthier communities, resources do.