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Widespread confusion among US consumers around food insecurity

A US consumer survey indicates that widespread confusion exists around the term “food insecurity”.

Familiarity both with the term – and its impacts – is mixed, according to researchers from the Purdue University’s Center for Food Demand Analysis and Sustainability (CFDAS) College of Agriculture.

Its latest Consumer Food Insights report found that 40% of respondents said they were “slightly familiar” or “not at all familiar” with the concept or the accompanying US programme to help combat it.

“Public understanding of food insecurity and of the federally funded programmes designed to address it are important as society wrestles with how to best address food insecurity in America,” said lead author Joseph Balagtas, professor of agricultural economics at Purdue University and director of CFDAS.

‘Food insecurity’ language is problematic

The CFDAS researchers, who explored agricultural economics to understand the latest consumer insights around the US food landscape, estimate that national food insecurity sat at 14.6% in June 2025.

A key finding of the survey is that among its 1,200 respondents, most overestimated food insecurity and, compared to official US measures, interpret it more expansively than the country’s policies and programmes do.

“Americans estimate that 38% of American households are food insecure, or more than twice the actual prevalence,” said Balagtas.

Confusion around what food security and, conversely, insecurity are is more pronounced in US households that belong to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

Described by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities as “the nation’s most important anti-hunger programme”, SNAP provides nutritional support for individuals and households on low or fixed incomes.

Identifying food insecurity

Purdue University’s CFDAS defines “food insecure” as being defined by the statement: “(I/We) sometimes or often have difficulty accessing enough affordable, safe, and nutritious food. Meanwhile, ‘food secure’ is defined by the statement: “(I/We) consistently have access to enough affordable, safe, and nutritious food.”

The survey results showed that most (86%) food-secure respondents accurately identify themselves as sitting within this category.

While most (59%), albeit a lower proportion, of food-insecure participants also correctly recognised their status, two in five (41%) respondents who fall under the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) food insecure classification described themselves as food secure.

This gap in perception suggests that many food-insecure individuals may not fully understand their level of food insecurity and, subsequently, their associated needs.

Causes are extensive, but vary

The survey’s findings highlight a risk that food-insecure individuals and households may not reach out for assistance and access nutritional support like the SNAP programme if they believe they fail to meet its requirements.

“Asked about causes of food insecurity, survey respondents point to high food prices, high costs of other living expenses, and low income or unemployment as the main culprits, which is consistent with economic evidence on the topic,” Balagtas said.

The Consumer Food Insights report did, however, identify differences in opinions on food insecurity drivers between households receiving SNAP assistance and those who are not part of the assistance programme.

Survey respondents not receiving SNAP assistance cited economic hardship as the leading cause of food insecurity, whereas those not accessing SNAP view other challenges, such as poor access to food assistance programmes (49%), inadequate government support (43%), and a lack of transportation (38%) as instrumental factors contributing to insecurity.

Support for SNAP programme varies too

Purdue University also found variations in respondents’ perceptions of the SNAP programme.

Most survey participants were familiar with the nutritional assistance programme, with just 9% saying they are unaware of SNAP. More than one-third (38%) of respondents in households that receive SNAP benefits were “very familiar” with the term, compared with one-quarter (24%) of non-SNAP households.

While this suggests those experiencing financial struggles and food insecurity may be more aware of the concept due to their proximity to it, many SNAP users are not completely familiar with the term “food insecurity”. Therefore, indicating there may be a misalignment in the communication used by policymakers and advocates to convey food insecurity.

Most respondents also expressed positive opinions regarding SNAP. However, the survey did identify some stigma among consumers who did not receive SNAP assistance.

Meanwhile, those who received SNAP assistance reported finding it accessible and supported more funding for the nutritional programme. Responses from consumers who did not receive SNAP funding were more mixed regarding the programme’s function and its effectiveness.