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Abstract
The special supplemental nutrition program for women, infants, and children program (WIC)
allows its participants to purchase food items from a WIC approved list at retail grocery stores.
However, this program restricts not only the type and the quantity of food to be purchased but
also the specific food brand. In fact, participants are often required to purchase private label
brands –the least expensive brand- for some of the food products. Using Nileson home-scan data
on daily food purchases across the county, this study aims to evaluate how these food brand
restrictions may impact consumer brand preference even outside of the WIC program.