Publication | Open Access
What does food retail research tell us about the implications of Coronavirus (COVID-19) for grocery purchasing habits?
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2020
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Consumer EconomicsConsumer UncertaintyConsumer ResearchBuying BehaviorCovid-19Food ChoiceFood MarketingFood Retailing EnvironmentSearch CostsManagementFood ControlConsumer BehaviorPublic HealthFood PolicyFood Retail ResearchConsumer ChoiceHealth SciencesEconomicsConsumer Decision MakingCovid-19 PandemicSustainable RetailingMarket BehaviorGrocery Purchasing HabitsMarketingBrand HeuristicsGlobal Health
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused immediate changes in the food retailing environment, particularly for countries that have “locked down” and imposed strict physical distancing measures. Consumer behavior has changed, including an initial period of panic buying, likely to be followed by further changes caused by constraints on the shopping experience. We interpret recent findings on shopping under constraints, and research on the effects of the SARS epidemic, on consumer behavior. As consumers spend less time making decisions in supermarkets, they will likely rely more heavily on price and brand heuristics to choose products. This trend may be reinforced by a counter-intuitive increased expenditure on supermarket goods, as was seen during the Great Recession of 2008. Online shopping will experience extensive growth.