Food takes a much bigger bite out of the household budget for low-income families than for richer ones, and sales taxes on groceries thus hit harder at lower incomes. In recognition of this fact, most states either have exempted groceries from state sales taxes entirely or have devised ways to help offset grocery taxes for low-income people. Alabama and Mississippi stand alone in offering no tax break break on groceries.

This fact sheet considers the effects of grocery taxes on low-income households and examines the ways that Alabama could reduce or eliminate its sales tax on groceries.