Winthrop Poll: Rising grocery costs, medical bills plague a majority of SC residents

ROCK HILL — Whether it’s the frozen food aisle, produce section or deli, two-thirds of South Carolinians are walking through grocery stores with some anxiety as they shop, according to the results of a Winthrop Poll released May 28.

A majority of respondents, 67 percent, described grocery costs as difficult or very difficult to afford. They’re not feeling great about going to restaurants either, where 61 percent said prices are unaffordable. Roughly the same percentage said health care expenses were unwieldy.

Seventy-two percent said a week-long vacation was out of reach financially.

The poll is sponsored by the Center for Public Opinion & Policy Research at Winthrop University. It was conducted online in April and May when gas prices reached and hovered around $4 a gallon across the state.

Winthrop said it had 1,434 respondents for the poll, which carries a margin of error of 2.59 percent. The nonpartisan Winthrop poll has become South Carolina’s most consistent surveyor of public opinion, coming out several times a year.

While those surveyed were pessimistic about how far their wallets could stretch in the current economic setting, economists are positive about the state’s resilience.

Joey Von Nessen, a research economist in the Division of Research at the University of South Carolina’s Darla Moore School of Business, said in a May speech the Palmetto State had broader job growth and stronger performance across industries than the nation as a whole. The influx of people moving to the state helps, he said.

Beyond economic issues, the spring poll also questioned residents about Confederate monuments and issues regarding immigration and citizenship.…Read more by m, ., u, i, l, p, e, o, r, n, t, S, s, d, c, a, @, L