All articles tagged with #food deserts
Chicago ends its city-run grocery program after Save A Lot terminated its licensing agreement with Yellow Banana, leading to seven stores on the South and West Sides closing. Critics say taxpayer-funded grocery schemes ignore market realities and fail to fix food deserts, while experts urge the city to reduce barriers for private retailers and focus on permitting, taxes, and labor costs instead of subsidies.
Illinois Governor JB Pritzker has signed a bill allocating $20 million to combat food deserts in the state. The funding will support existing grocery stores and incentivize the opening of new ones. Designated high-impact businesses will receive additional tax credits and incentives. The initiative aims to increase access to healthy food, promote economic development, and address food insecurity. A study will also be conducted to gather data on food deserts and inform future programs. Approximately 3 million Illinois residents currently live in food deserts.
A recent report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture reveals that 33.8 million Americans lack adequate access to food, with lower-income households being disproportionately affected. While food deserts have often been blamed for the issue, experts argue that it is wages, inequality, and inflation that are the primary drivers of hunger. Food inflation, supply chain disruptions, and income disparities contribute to the problem, with the bottom 20% of households spending a significantly higher percentage of their income on food compared to higher-income families. While food deserts may compound the problem, it is ultimately the economics and income levels that have the greatest impact.
Walmart's recent closure of four stores in Chicago, including in lower-income Black and Latino neighborhoods, highlights the need for locally-owned, independent, smaller businesses that are in it for the long haul. These neighborhoods would have been better off with smaller businesses that are at high risk of being driven out of a market by big-box stores with clout. Chicago could use some fresh ideas on how to help mom-and-pop neighborhood businesses thrive where they’re needed most. Walmart is uniquely positioned to provide access to food, medicine, and jobs in neighborhoods that sorely need all three, but its recent closures have left residents upset.
Walmart is closing four stores in Chicago, including three on the South and West sides, due to poor sales, leaving residents frustrated and concerned about the impact on their communities. Walmart had fought for years to open in Chicago and promised to be a good neighbor. Local officials and residents are criticizing the company for leaving, especially in areas already struggling with food deserts and the loss of other big retailers. City officials are questioning if the stores were really unprofitable and are working to find suitable replacements. Four Walmart stores will remain in Chicago.