SNAP Fruit and Vegetable Incentive Program Digital Promotions for Farmers' Markets

Not Applicable

Completed

• Conditions: Fruit and Vegetable Intake; Healthy Diet; Food Insecurity
• Interventions: Behavioral: Digital Promotions Group

• Registration Number: NCT04458350
• Lead Sponsor: Tufts University

Brief Summary

The purpose of this study is to assess the impact of digital promotions of a Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) fruit and vegetable incentive program on SNAP participant patronage and sales at farmers' markets. The study will analyze SNAP transactions from zip codes that receive digital promotions compared to zip codes that receive no additional promotions.

Detailed Description

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) financial incentives for fruits and vegetables (FV) increase FV purchases and consumption with long-term implications for nutrition-related chronic disease. However, many SNAP participants are not aware of these programs, leaving them underutilized. The investigators aim to assess if digital promotions of SNAP incentive programs increase SNAP patronage and sales at farmers' markets. Eligible farmers' markets in the New England Nutrition Incentives Collaborative (NENIC) will receive digital promotions for their SNAP fruit and vegetable incentive programs on the Fresh EBT app and Facebook, randomly assigned to nearby eligible zip codes. Eligible zip codes will be randomized to receive the intervention (digital promotion) or serve as a comparison (no additional promotion) with ads running for 13 weeks (Summer 2020 market season).

Study Timeline

• Study First Submitted: 2020-06-30
• Study Start: 2020-07-01
• Study First Submitted QC: 2020-07-02
• Study First Posted: 2020-07-07
• Primary Completion: 2020-09-30
• Study Completion: 2020-09-30
• Status Verified: 2020-10
• Last Update Submitted: 2020-10-27
• Last Update Posted: 2020-10-28

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 251966

Inclusion Criteria

• Farmers' markets in the New England Nutrition Incentives Collaborative (NENIC) are eligible to participate if they were data compliant in Summer 2019 (>90% SNAP transactions reported with zip codes) and have 2 or more nearby, target zip codes.
• Zip codes are eligible if their zip code tabulation area (ZCTA) centroid is within a 7-mile (urban county) or 16-mile (rural county) travel distance of eligible NENIC farmers' market and the zip code has at least 25 active users on the Fresh EBT app

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Exclusion Criteria

• Zip code is not in Connecticut, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, or Vermont

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Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Digital Promotions Group	Digital Promotions Group	Eligible zip codes (n=96) will be randomized using stratified randomization at the state level. The intervention will last 13 weeks (Summer 2020 market season) and consist of receiving digital ads on the Fresh EBT app and Facebook for SNAP fruit and vegetable incentive programs at farmers' markets.

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Average number of market SNAP transactions by zip code for Summer 2020	13 weeks	Participating farmers' markets record individual SNAP transactions, including zip code, and upload transaction data to FM Tracks, an online platform for managing farmers' market sales. Average number of SNAP transactions will be computed.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Average market SNAP-related sales by zip code for Summer 2020	13 weeks	Participating farmers' markets record individual SNAP transactions, including zip code, and upload transaction data to FM Tracks, an online platform for managing farmers' market sales. Average SNAP Electronic Benefit sales and incentives distributed (in dollars) will be computed.
Average market new SNAP customers by zip code for Summer 2020	13 weeks	Participating farmers' markets record individual SNAP transactions, including zip code, and upload transaction data to FM Tracks, an online platform for managing farmers' market sales. Average number of new customers will be computed.

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Tufts University Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy; 🇺🇸 Boston, Massachusetts, United States