LAS VEGAS (KSNV) — New federal work requirements for SNAP benefits are reshaping budgets for some Southern Nevada families — and a West Las Vegas grocery owner says the changes are now hitting local businesses, too.
At Mario’s Westside Market, owner Mario Berlanga said customers who once received a couple hundred dollars in SNAP benefits are now getting far less, forcing them to stretch every dollar and become more selective about what they buy. Berlanga said that shift has led to changes inside his store, including reduced staffing.
“Yeah, we’ve had—we’ve had to cut hours. We’ve laid a few, a couple people off, and a couple people that’s left to find other employment,” Berlanga said.
Berlanga said the market has had to adjust by ordering more conservatively and working with vendors to keep basic foods affordable. He said he has tried to lower prices where possible so customers can make food last longer.
“They’ll cut it down, and then I’ll lower the price down to stretch it, you know, because a 10-pound bag of potatoes—someone can make one meal, make several meals,” Berlanga said. “You know, same thing with the eggs. I found a vendor that I can get eggs pretty cheap now, but they’re loose.”
The changes come as federal SNAP work requirements now apply to more people. Able-bodied adults between 18 and 64 who do not have a child under 14 generally must work, volunteer or participate in an approved program for at least 80 hours a month.
Those who do not meet the requirement or qualify for an exemption can be limited to three months of benefits within a three-year period.
The impact comes amid widespread need across the region. Feeding America’s 2026 Map the Meal Gap study estimates nearly 400,000 Southern Nevadans are food insecure — about one in six people across the region. That includes more than 117,000 children, or one in four.
Berlanga said those pressures are being felt inside his store, where he estimates business is down about 30 percent. He said reduced benefits are one factor, along with road construction outside the market and the broader economy.
“You know, it’s a community market. It’s a community store, and our customers and our neighbors really add that on and show us that that’s what we are,” Berlanga said. “You know, we’re working together.”
For now, Berlanga said the market will continue searching for specials and adjusting its inventory, while hoping business rebounds enough to restore hours and begin hiring again.
