Low-income Americans' response to price changes for fruits and vegetables

Americans' diets, particularly those of low-income households, fall short of Government recommendations in the quantity of fruits and vegetables consumed. Would a price subsidy encourage low-income Americans to consume more of them? ERS found that low-income households increased their consumption of fruits and vegetables when prices for these foods were lowered. If prices were lowered by 10 percent, households were estimated to increase their fruit consumption by up to 5.2 percent and their vegetable consumption by up to 4.9 percent, though most would still not meet Federal dietary recommendations. This chart is from the January 2009 ERS report, ERR-70, Fruit and Vegetable Consumption by Low-Income Americans: Would a Price Reduction Make a Difference?.

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