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The Effect of Unemployment on Food Spending and Adequacy: Evidence from Coronavirus‐Induced Firm Closures

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  • Brandon J. Restrepo
  • Matthew P. Rabbitt
  • Christian A. Gregory

Abstract

We estimate the impact of involuntary unemployment following employer shutdowns during the COVID‐19 pandemic on American households' past‐week food expenditures, free food receipt, and food sufficiency, as well as confidence about next month's food adequacy. Over April to June 2020, compared with households containing employed respondents, households with respondents who lost their jobs due to coronavirus‐induced firm closures spent 15% less on food, were 36% more likely receive free food, were 10% less likely to have enough food to eat, and were 21% less likely to report at least moderate confidence in their future ability to afford needed foods. JEL CLASSIFICATION I12; J21; J63

Suggested Citation

  • Brandon J. Restrepo & Matthew P. Rabbitt & Christian A. Gregory, 2021. "The Effect of Unemployment on Food Spending and Adequacy: Evidence from Coronavirus‐Induced Firm Closures," Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 43(1), pages 185-204, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:apecpp:v:43:y:2021:i:1:p:185-204
    DOI: 10.1002/aepp.13143
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Sara Ayllón & Samuel Lado, 2022. "Food Hardship in the US During the Pandemic: What Can We Learn From Real‐Time Data?," Review of Income and Wealth, International Association for Research in Income and Wealth, vol. 68(2), pages 518-540, June.
    2. Craig Gundersen & Monica Hake & Adam Dewey & Emily Engelhard, 2021. "Food Insecurity during COVID‐19," Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 43(1), pages 153-161, March.
    3. Zeballos, Eliana & Dong, Xiao, 2021. "The Localized Effects of the COVID-19 Recession on Food Sales," 2021 Annual Meeting, August 1-3, Austin, Texas 313996, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    4. Mario Amato & Fabio Verneau & Adele Coppola & Francesco La Barbera, 2021. "Domestic Food Waste and Covid-19 Concern: An Application of the Theory of Planned Behaviour," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(15), pages 1-12, July.
    5. Brian E. Roe & Kathryn Bender & Danyi Qi, 2021. "The Impact of COVID‐19 on Consumer Food Waste," Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 43(1), pages 401-411, March.
    6. Baira Faulks & Song Yinghua, 2021. "The COVID-19 Crisis: Implications for the Development and Growth of Agricultural Sector in EU countries and Russia," International Journal of Innovation and Economic Development, Inovatus Services Ltd., vol. 7(1), pages 37-46, April.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • I12 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health Behavior
    • J21 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Labor Force and Employment, Size, and Structure
    • J63 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Turnover; Vacancies; Layoffs

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