Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/180607 
Year of Publication: 
2018
Series/Report no.: 
IZA Discussion Papers No. 11589
Publisher: 
Institute of Labor Economics (IZA), Bonn
Abstract: 
This paper examines the effect of Walmart Supercenters, which lower food prices and expand food availability, on household and child food insecurity. Our food insecurity-related outcomes come from the 2001-2012 waves of the December Current Population Study Food Security Supplement. Using narrow geographic identifiers available in the restricted version of these data, we compute the distance between each household's census tract of residence and the nearest Walmart Supercenter. We estimate instrumental variables models that leverage the predictable geographic expansion patterns of Walmart Supercenters outward from Walmart's corporate headquarters. Results suggest that closer proximity to a Walmart Supercenter improves the food security of households and children, as measured by number of affirmative responses to a food insecurity questionnaire and an indicator for food insecurity. The effects are largest among low-income households and children, but are also sizeable for middle-income children.
Subjects: 
Walmart
Wal-Mart
supercenters
big box
food insecurity
hunger
JEL: 
I12
I14
Q18
Document Type: 
Working Paper

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