Some Got Valentine's Day Deals On Your Dime

A 10TV News viewer contacted Watchdog10 about a Valentine's Day item available for food assistance that some might consider questionable.

Susan Wright watches every penny in her job as a controller for a local business.  She also does it at the supermarket.

She said she did a double-take when she spotted candy bouquet Valentine's vases at a Kroger.

"I thought that's a cute idea," Wright said.  "I'd never seen that before.  I went over and looked at them and thought, 'It's a little out of my budget.'  Then I see the sign next to it and saw the sign that said food assistance eligible."

The candy bouquets cost as much as $26.99 and could be paid by using food assistance money, Watchdog10's Kurt Ludlow reported.

Wright sent Watchdog10 a photo of the bouquets.

We found several Kroger stores that may have sold the Valentine Vases to people on food assistance.  Watchdog10 purchased one bouquet of chocolate bars that cost $16.99.  Another candy bar bouquet complete with chocolate hearts cost $24.99.

Watchdog10 took the vases to the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, which disperses money from the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.

"When we became aware of this promotion, we were really disappointed," said Ben Johnson, an ODJFS spokesman.

According to Johnson, ODJFS handed out $3 billion in food assistance to nearly two million Ohioans in 2011.

On average, recipients get $140 a month.  Under federal rules, they are not allowed to buy alcohol, tobacco, vitamins or medicines, hot food products or non-food items, including toys.

"Chocolate is not prohibited," Johnson said.  "I can't say that a vase with candy bars violates any rules or regulations.  But it certainly is not in the spirit of the food assistance program and that is disappointing."

The U.S. Department of Agriculture oversees the SNAP program and blames Kroger for marketing junk food to food assistance recipients.

"We work with our retail partners to reinforce healthy eating choices and work to educate SNAP participants on how to make healthy food purchases on a limited budget," the USDA said in a statement.

Kroger insists that the local store promotion was not authorized by the Columbus Division of the Kroger Co. and ordered all the signs to come down once Watchdog10 started asking questions. 

"Kroger works hard to follow all the rules regarding government assistance and SNAP benefits," the company said in a statement.  "We understand the sensitivity surrounding this issue, and will take that into consideration for future promotions."

Wright said that she is all for using her tax dollars to help pay for other people's food, as long as it's healthy food.

"Food assistance should be for necessary foods for people that need it -- not candy -- and certainly not a vase that's meant to be a gift," Wright said.

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