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All of this is to say that dollar stores are everywhereincluding in areas where there isnt much else.
Kayleigh Painter is the manager of investor and media relations at Dollar Tree.
Critics have accused dollar stores of taking advantage of their customers bylimiting access to healthy foods.
Allison Karpyn, PhD is an an associate professor and senior associate director of the University of Delaware’s Center for Research in Education and Social Policy.
But if dollar storeswith their power to be seemingly everywherearent the answer to alleviating food insecurity, what is?
As mentioned, these stores accept EBT.
These stores might also be more welcoming to low-income customers.
However, the actual food sold at dollar stores has long been criticized by some experts.
(The exception: Dollar General sells produce at650 of its 26,000 locations.)
The needs are different in each community, she says.
Weve certainly worked in communities where people very much want access to healthier foods.
Cooking is a privilege and some people dont have much of a choice, she says.
Big grocery stores take a lot of capital to open, and the profit margins are low.
Allison Karpyn, PhD is an an associate professor and senior associate director of the University of Delaware’s Center for Research in Education and Social Policy.
Thats why Ornelas thinks its important to look for additional solutions for food insecurity outside of the grocery store.
Its also important that there is signage in the languages spoken in these communities, she adds.
But Lyonnais says change also needs to be made at a national level, not just within communities.
The role of dollar stores in food-insecure areas is complex.
Given just how prevalent they are, they should and must be part of the solution.
But policymakers, grocery-store operators, and community planners need to do their parts, too.
Only then will the problem of food deserts dry up for good.
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