A man revealed in a viral video that the WIC-approved smaller loaf of Sara Lee bread is apparently more expensive than others.
The video was uploaded by TikTok user @mrpoppa85, who posted to his 13,000 followers. First, he unveils a 16-ounce Sara Lee Bread for $3.34 on the top of the shelf. Then, the camera shifts to another loaf of bread. This loaf is a dollar less than the other one.
The reason, he says? “Sara Lee charges more for the smaller wheat bread size just because it is WIC approved.”
@mrpoppa85 #mrbackbeater #mrpoppa85 #backbeatersuniversity ♬ original sound – mrpoppa85
Yes, 16-ounce whole wheat Sara Lee bread is WIC-approved, according to the program guidelines.
“If you ain’t paying for it I know you don’t give a damn,” he says about WIC, which is the federal Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children. As the WIC landing page on the U.S. Department of Agriculture website notes: WIC “serves to safeguard the health of low-income pregnant, postpartum, and breastfeeding women, infants, and children up to age 5 who are at nutritional risk by providing nutritious foods to supplement diets, information on healthy eating including breastfeeding promotion and support, and referrals to health care.”
The Daily Dot reached out to @mrpoppa85 via TikTok comment and direct message. It’s unclear where in the U.S. he lives.
The video garnered over 102,000 views as of Friday, where viewers proposed reasons why WIC-approved bread is more expensive.
“No it’s because it’s more convenient. why do you think the 20oz sodas cost more than the 2L per oz?” one viewer proposed.
“Sara Lee doesn’t determine prices. Only the minimum price,” a second stated.
“There used to be a local grocery store chain that we are pretty sure they would shift their almost expired stuff to for the same reason,” a third suggested.
However, some noted that WIC-approved items do anecdotally tend to cost more, many commenters observed. On the other hand, others pointed out how smaller quantities of items are more expensive.
So what’s the reason why WIC-approved bread can be more expensive? According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, “These price differences occur because WIC-only stores tend to price their WIC food items at or near the maximum that their state’s WIC program allows. Under WIC regulations, each state must establish a maximum reimbursement amount that it will pay WIC-approved vendors for WIC food items.”
We’ve reached out to Sara Lee.