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The Impact of COVID-19 Crisis upon the Consumer Buying Behavior of Fresh Vegetables Directly from Local Producers. Case Study: The Quarantined Area of Suceava County, Romania

Author

Listed:
  • Alina Butu

    (Biotechnology Department, National Institute of Research and Development for Biological Sciences, 060031 Bucharest, Romania)

  • Ioan Sebastian Brumă

    (Romanian Academy, “Gh. Zane” Institute for Economic and Social Research, 700481 Iași, Romania)

  • Lucian Tanasă

    (Romanian Academy, “Gh. Zane” Institute for Economic and Social Research, 700481 Iași, Romania)

  • Steliana Rodino

    (Biotechnology Department, National Institute of Research and Development for Biological Sciences, 060031 Bucharest, Romania
    Doctoral School Economy II, The Bucharest University of Economic Studies, 010374 Bucharest, Romania)

  • Codrin Dinu Vasiliu

    (Romanian Academy, “Gh. Zane” Institute for Economic and Social Research, 700481 Iași, Romania)

  • Sebastian Doboș

    (Romanian Academy, “Gh. Zane” Institute for Economic and Social Research, 700481 Iași, Romania)

  • Marian Butu

    (Biotechnology Department, National Institute of Research and Development for Biological Sciences, 060031 Bucharest, Romania)

Abstract

The present paper intends to address the impact of COVID-19 crisis upon the consumer buying behavior of fresh vegetables directly from local producers as observed 30 days later, after enforcing the state of emergency in Romania within a well-defined area, namely, the quarantined area of Suceava. The study relies on the interpretation of answers received from the quarantined area (N = 257) to a questionnaire applied online nationwide. The starting point of this paper is the analysis of the sociodemographic factors on the purchasing decision of fresh vegetables directly from local producers before declaring the state of emergency in Romania (16 March 2020). Further research has been conducted by interpreting the changes triggered by the COVID-19 crisis on the purchasing intention of such products before and after the end of the respective crisis. The aim of this scientific investigation relies on identifying the methods by which these behavioral changes can influence the digital transformation of short food supply chains.

Suggested Citation

  • Alina Butu & Ioan Sebastian Brumă & Lucian Tanasă & Steliana Rodino & Codrin Dinu Vasiliu & Sebastian Doboș & Marian Butu, 2020. "The Impact of COVID-19 Crisis upon the Consumer Buying Behavior of Fresh Vegetables Directly from Local Producers. Case Study: The Quarantined Area of Suceava County, Romania," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(15), pages 1-25, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:17:y:2020:i:15:p:5485-:d:391722
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    7. Daniel Lucheș & Despina Saghin & Maria-Magdalena Lupchian, 2021. "Public Perception of the First Major SARS-Cov-2 Outbreak in the Suceava County, Romania," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(4), pages 1-16, February.
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    15. Grigorescu, Ines & Popovici, Elena-Ana & Damian, Nicoleta & Dumitraşcu, Monica & Sima, Mihaela & Mitrică, Bianca & Mocanu, Irena, 2022. "The resilience of sub-urban small farming in Bucharest Metropolitan Area in response to the COVID-19 pandemic," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 122(C).
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