How SNAP benefit lapse could affect consumers and retailers

Nearly 42 million Americans are days away from missing their monthly food stamp check as the government shutdown enters its 28th day.

The Trump administration has said funds for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, will not be distributed if the federal government is still shut down on Nov. 1. With little movement toward a resolution on Capitol Hill, Congress appears set to blow past that deadline.

The expiration of aid would have a devastating effect on millions of households already struggling to afford food, and force people across the country to seek help at food banks. The lapse in that spending would also have a ripple effect on the economy, from small grocers to massive chains like Walmart and even retailers that sell discretionary merchandise.

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