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mahatmakanejeeves

(57,393 posts)
Wed Mar 30, 2022, 07:30 AM Mar 2022

With inflation running hot, Google searches for food stamps remain elevated

Yahoo Finance

With inflation running hot, Google searches for food stamps remain elevated

Brian Sozzi · Anchor, Editor-at-Large
Wed, March 30, 2022, 6:51 AM

Bruising levels of inflation from rent to gas to food continues to hit many American households hard, so hard it may be pushing a new group of the population into food stamps, hints new data.

Google search volumes are still running 100% higher than pre-pandemic levels (see chart below), according to DataTrek. Search volumes have trended higher since the start of 2022 as inflation has accelerated, notably at the gas pump. ... Volumes peaked in April 2020 as millions of people lost their job due to the crushing COVID-19 pandemic.

"It is remarkable that 'food stamp' Google search volumes remain so elevated in what other economic indicators say is a hot U.S. economy, but we suspect food inflation and still-lower levels of labor force participation versus pre-pandemic are playing a role here," DataTrek says.

Some 41.5 million people were on food stamps at the end of 2021, according to government data. The average benefit per person tallied $218.

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