Minneapolis has begun enforcing tighter rules requiring corner shops and convenience stores to stock a variety of healthy foods — prompting one discount chain to announce it will no longer accept food stamp benefits so that it can avoid having to follow the city's ordinance.
Dollar Tree, which has four Minneapolis locations spread throughout the city, is so far the only business to look for a way around the Staple Foods Ordinance, which was passed in 2008 and updated in 2014. The first-in-the-nation law aims to combat obesity, diabetes and other health issues by providing more fresh foods in neighborhoods that lack grocery options.
In April, after working with businesses to ensure they were stocked with the required fresh produce, protein items, milk, juice and whole-grain breads, the city ended a more than yearlong grace period and began enforcing the stricter standards. The same month, Dollar Tree, which had previously accepted SNAP and WIC food stamp benefits, posted a notice to its customers: "Due to new city ordinance, we can no longer accept food stamps in this store." The memo goes on to say the city's ordinance "prevents you from using your food stamps in our stores," because " 'Everything's $1.00' in Dollar Tree stores."
Businesses that sell food are not required to accept food stamp benefits to operate, but they must comply with the ordinance if they want to be licensed to accept the benefits.
The move drew criticism from Council Member Blong Yang, whose North Side ward is home to one of the Dollar Tree stores, and Council Member Cam Gordon, who authored the ordinance. Yang said he's heard from residents who have been regular customers of the store and are concerned they'll have to travel outside the city to use their food stamps at the discount store.
"It just feels awful that somebody would do this," he said. "It looks bad and feels bad and is just bad in general in my view."
Groceries for $1?
Gordon said he considers Dollar Tree's decision disappointing and will consider tweaking the ordinance to ensure businesses can't find a way around the rules.
"The idea with the ordinance is if you want to act like a grocery store, you should be a real grocery store, you should provide some options, some healthy foods," he said.