According to Tufts University researchers, dollar stores are now the fastest-growing food retailers in the contiguous United States–and have more than doubled their share in rural areas. Households that make more purchases at dollar stores are also more likely to be low-income and led by people of colour. The findings were published in the American Journal of Public Health on January 19th. The study, which the researchers from Tufts University School of Medicine and the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University believe is the first to look at this trend over the past 10 years, could have meaningful implications for nutrition policy. Food and beverages stocked by dollar stores are typically lower in nutrients and higher in calories, while only a small percentage of such shops carry fresh produce and meats. Their growing footprint, especially in the remote South, is also important: These regions already have higher baseline levels of obesity and food insecurity.
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