Examining Food Purchase Behavior and Food Values During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Brenna Ellison; Brandon McFadden; Bradley J. Rickard; Norbert L.W. Wilson

doi:10.1002/aepp.13118

Examining Food Purchase Behavior and Food Values During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Brenna Ellison
, Brandon McFadden
, Bradley J. Rickard
, Norbert L.W. Wilson

Agricultural and Consumer Economics

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has altered conceptions of “normal” globally, including food purchasing and acquisition decisions. In this paper, we surveyed a panel of 1,370 U.S. households four times during the COVID-19 pandemic from mid-March to late April 2020. With this unique panel, we observe changes in food expenditures, shopping behaviors, and food values as the pandemic evolved. Our results reveal reductions in food-away-from-home expenditures and increases in online grocery shopping. Food values appear to be fairly stable in the early stages of the pandemic; however, decreases in the importance of price and nutrition reveal tradeoffs households make during the pandemic.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	58-72
Number of pages	15
Journal	Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy
Volume	43
Issue number	1
Early online date	Nov 4 2020
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1002/aepp.13118
State	Published - Mar 2021

Keywords

C23
COVID-19
Consumer behavior
D12
Q18
food expenditures
food values
survey

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Development
Economics and Econometrics

Online availability

10.1002/aepp.13118

Library availability

Discover UIUC Full Text

Cite this

@article{0527c9fb0d0145e3b1932211e48b06a0,

title = "Examining Food Purchase Behavior and Food Values During the COVID-19 Pandemic",

abstract = "The COVID-19 pandemic has altered conceptions of {\textquotedblleft}normal{\textquotedblright} globally, including food purchasing and acquisition decisions. In this paper, we surveyed a panel of 1,370 U.S. households four times during the COVID-19 pandemic from mid-March to late April 2020. With this unique panel, we observe changes in food expenditures, shopping behaviors, and food values as the pandemic evolved. Our results reveal reductions in food-away-from-home expenditures and increases in online grocery shopping. Food values appear to be fairly stable in the early stages of the pandemic; however, decreases in the importance of price and nutrition reveal tradeoffs households make during the pandemic.",

keywords = "C23, COVID-19, Consumer behavior, D12, Q18, food expenditures, food values, survey",

author = "Brenna Ellison and Brandon McFadden and Rickard, \{Bradley J.\} and Wilson, \{Norbert L.W.\}",

note = "Funding for this project came from the Agricultural and Food Research Initiative Competitive Grant no. 2016-67023-24817 from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), and through USDA Hatch project NYC-121837. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the authors. They do not necessarily reflect the view of NIFA or the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Norbert Wilson contributed to the research while on faculty at the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University. Funding for this project came from the Agricultural and Food Research Initiative Competitive Grant no. 2016‐67023‐24817 from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), and through USDA Hatch project NYC‐121837. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the authors. They do not necessarily reflect the view of NIFA or the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Norbert Wilson contributed to the research while on faculty at the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University.",

year = "2021",

month = mar,

doi = "10.1002/aepp.13118",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "43",

pages = "58--72",

journal = "Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy",

issn = "2040-5790",

publisher = "John Wiley \& Sons, Ltd.",

number = "1",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Examining Food Purchase Behavior and Food Values During the COVID-19 Pandemic

AU - Ellison, Brenna

AU - McFadden, Brandon

AU - Rickard, Bradley J.

AU - Wilson, Norbert L.W.

N1 - Funding for this project came from the Agricultural and Food Research Initiative Competitive Grant no. 2016-67023-24817 from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), and through USDA Hatch project NYC-121837. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the authors. They do not necessarily reflect the view of NIFA or the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Norbert Wilson contributed to the research while on faculty at the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University. Funding for this project came from the Agricultural and Food Research Initiative Competitive Grant no. 2016‐67023‐24817 from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), and through USDA Hatch project NYC‐121837. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the authors. They do not necessarily reflect the view of NIFA or the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Norbert Wilson contributed to the research while on faculty at the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University.

PY - 2021/3

Y1 - 2021/3

N2 - The COVID-19 pandemic has altered conceptions of “normal” globally, including food purchasing and acquisition decisions. In this paper, we surveyed a panel of 1,370 U.S. households four times during the COVID-19 pandemic from mid-March to late April 2020. With this unique panel, we observe changes in food expenditures, shopping behaviors, and food values as the pandemic evolved. Our results reveal reductions in food-away-from-home expenditures and increases in online grocery shopping. Food values appear to be fairly stable in the early stages of the pandemic; however, decreases in the importance of price and nutrition reveal tradeoffs households make during the pandemic.

AB - The COVID-19 pandemic has altered conceptions of “normal” globally, including food purchasing and acquisition decisions. In this paper, we surveyed a panel of 1,370 U.S. households four times during the COVID-19 pandemic from mid-March to late April 2020. With this unique panel, we observe changes in food expenditures, shopping behaviors, and food values as the pandemic evolved. Our results reveal reductions in food-away-from-home expenditures and increases in online grocery shopping. Food values appear to be fairly stable in the early stages of the pandemic; however, decreases in the importance of price and nutrition reveal tradeoffs households make during the pandemic.

KW - C23

KW - COVID-19

KW - Consumer behavior

KW - D12

KW - Q18

KW - food expenditures

KW - food values

KW - survey

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85096698619

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85096698619#tab=citedBy

U2 - 10.1002/aepp.13118

DO - 10.1002/aepp.13118

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85096698619

SN - 2040-5790

VL - 43

SP - 58

EP - 72

JO - Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy

JF - Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy

IS - 1

ER -

Examining Food Purchase Behavior and Food Values During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Online availability

Library availability

Related links

Fingerprint

Cite this