Abstract P473: WIC-Tailored, Pre-Filled Online Shopping Carts Influence WIC Food Benefit Redemption

Abstract

Introduction: Most participants in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) do not fully redeem their benefits, due to barriers like transportation, unclear labeling, and category-specific limits. Online food shopping enables the use of choice architecture to promote benefit redemption. Using a mixed-methods pilot randomized-controlled trial, we evaluated whether a WIC-tailored, modifiable pre-filled online grocery shopping cart (intervention group, I) compared to individually selecting items (control group, C) increased WIC benefit redemption. Hypothesis: The I vs. C will have higher change in benefit redemption. Methods: We enrolled Rhode Island WIC participants (n=24) who were ≥18 years and primary food shoppers, spoke English or Spanish, had internet, and no special dietary needs. At baseline, participants completed a sociodemographic questionnaire and a simulated shopping episode (SSE) conducted in Gorilla Shop Builder. They were told to shop as if using all monthly food benefits and to buy WIC and non-WIC items to last 10 days. After a week, we randomized participants to the I or C to complete the second SSE. The I had a modifiable cart pre-filled with WIC items providing 100% of the benefits proposed on the 2022 food package revision, except for fruits/vegetables (33%) and milk (25%) and was personalized with items selected in the first SSE. The C selected their items individually. Both groups had a list of their assigned benefits, and WIC labels for approved items. WIC benefit redemption was expressed as % of the maximum allotted amounts for each food group, per person. Between-group t-tests examined differences in redemption rates. Results: Women were primarily Hispanic (75%), White (50%), postpartum (63%), and had never shopped online (54%). Redemption increased up to 65% more in the I vs. the C for most WIC categories. Conclusions: Results from this pilot trial suggest that a WIC-tailored, pre-filled online shopping cart may be a promising tool to improve WIC benefit redemption.