Changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program are affecting shoppers and grocery stores in Cuyahoga County, according to interviews conducted by Case Western Reserve University students.
Students interviewed employees at 26 food retailers in areas with high SNAP participation during June and July. The group included 20 store managers and 17 cashiers, with many of the stores located in Cleveland or East Cleveland.
Nearly 60% of the managers or owners interviewed said they had experienced or expected a decrease in sales connected to new SNAP work requirements. About 55% said they had changed or could change their food ordering plans as a result.
Cashiers also reported changes at checkout. About 60% of the cashiers interviewed said they had seen customers run out of funds on electronic benefit transfer cards. Some workers reported seeing EBT cards declined.
The federal changes expanded work requirements and altered eligibility for some SNAP recipients. Cuyahoga County enrollment declined by about 14,000 people between October 2025 and July 2026, according to reporting by Signal Cleveland.
Researchers selected stores that sold produce, meat and dairy in ZIP codes where more than 9% of residents receive SNAP. About 18% of the locations in the survey were convenience stores.
The interviews also found that many store employees were not familiar with the policy changes. About 65% of store staff surveyed were unaware of the new SNAP work requirements even as some reported changes in customer purchasing patterns.
Cuyahoga County Job and Family Services has held public information efforts about the changes. Following the survey, the county is also working on information that grocery stores can provide to customers.
The planned materials are expected to explain how residents can check whether an EBT card is active, review available balances and find emergency food or job-training resources.
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