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Consumer behavior during the COVID-19 pandemic: An analysis of food purchasing and management behaviors in U.S. households through the lens of food system resilience

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  • Bender, Kathryn E.
  • Badiger, Aishwarya
  • Roe, Brian E.
  • Shu, Yiheng
  • Qi, Danyi

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has stimulated considerable interest in the resilience of the U.S. food system. Less attention has been paid to the resiliency characteristics of the final link in the food system – individual households. We use national survey data from July 2020 to understand the food acquisition, preparation, and management strategies that households implemented in response to the pandemic. We find a substantial increase in the amount of food prepared and consumed at home which scales with respondents’ time availability, perceived risks of dining out, and pandemic-induced income disruption. We then identify several household responses to support this increase in home food consumption that are in line with practices suggested to enhance resiliency at other links in the food supply chain, including increased cold storage capacity and enhanced in-house capability via improved cooking and food management skills. We discuss how responses such as improved food skills can reduce the propagation of shocks through the supply chain by allowing greater flexibility and less waste, while actions such as increased home cold storage capacity could undermine system resilience by exacerbating bullwhip effects, i.e., amplifying consumer demand shocks that are propagated to upstream food supply chain actors.

Suggested Citation

  • Bender, Kathryn E. & Badiger, Aishwarya & Roe, Brian E. & Shu, Yiheng & Qi, Danyi, 2022. "Consumer behavior during the COVID-19 pandemic: An analysis of food purchasing and management behaviors in U.S. households through the lens of food system resilience," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 82(PA).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:soceps:v:82:y:2022:i:pa:s0038012121000999
    DOI: 10.1016/j.seps.2021.101107
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Brenna Ellison & Brandon McFadden & Bradley J. Rickard & Norbert L. W. Wilson, 2021. "Examining Food Purchase Behavior and Food Values During the COVID‐19 Pandemic," Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 43(1), pages 58-72, March.
    2. Weersink, Alfons & von Massow, Mike & Bannon, Nicholas & Ifft, Jennifer & Maples, Josh & McEwan, Ken & McKendree, Melissa G.S. & Nicholson, Charles & Novakovic, Andrew & Rangarajan, Anusuya & Richards, 2021. "COVID-19 and the agri-food system in the United States and Canada," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 188(C).
    3. Li Gan & Victoria Vernon, 2003. "Testing the Barten Model of Economies of Scale in Household Consumption: Toward Resolving a Paradox of Deaton and Paxson," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 111(6), pages 1361-1377, December.
    4. David Orden, 2020. "Resilience test of the North American food system," Canadian Journal of Agricultural Economics/Revue canadienne d'agroeconomie, Canadian Agricultural Economics Society/Societe canadienne d'agroeconomie, vol. 68(2), pages 215-217, June.
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    1. Gigliotti, Marina & Rizzi, Francesco, 2023. "Resilient shopping behaviours by change, not by chance: are disruptive events’ effects permanent?," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 74(C).
    2. Hyo-Sun Jung & Hye-Hyun Yoon & Min-Kyung Song, 2021. "A Study on Dining-Out Trends Using Big Data: Focusing on Changes since COVID-19," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(20), pages 1-23, October.
    3. Janet Music & Sylvain Charlebois & Louise Spiteri & Shannon Farrell & Alysha Griffin, 2021. "Increases in Household Food Waste in Canada as a Result of COVID-19: An Exploratory Study," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(23), pages 1-11, November.

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