Soda purchases fell about 13 percent among Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) beneficiaries after 10 states restricted purchases of sugary drinks with SNAP funds in 2026, a study found.
SNAP restriction waivers banned non-nutritious items like soda and candy to ensure that taxpayer dollars are directed toward nutritious options that improve health outcomes, the U.S. Department of Agriculture stated on its website.
The August study from the National Bureau of Economic Research - not yet peer-reviewed - evaluated the immediate effects of SNAP food restriction waivers in 10 states that implemented the bans.
Researchers used a Nielsen consumer dataset of about 5,000 SNAP households from July 2025 to June 2026.
Before the ban, the average SNAP household bought about 185 ounces of soda per month. That’s about 15 cans. The 13 percent drop is about 24 ounces, or two cans less per month.
Purchases of energy drinks also decreased by 4 ounces per household per month.
Interestingly, as Sylvia Xu reports for The Epoch Times, the study found that even households having enough cash to offset the restrictions reduced soda consumption by 18.5 percent, down 40 ounces per month.
When states labeled soda as an unapproved purchase, it acted as a powerful psychological signal, according to the report.
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