Changes in food purchase, consumption and handling during COVID-19 pandemic among single person households

Abstract

Objective As a new type of consumer subject in the market that was formerly dominated by multiple person families, single households are driving the change in the buying structure. Food purchase activities have undergone significant changes since the outbreak of the COVID‐19. The objective of this study was to assess and compare variations in food consumption, purchase and handling during the COVID-19 pandemic between single person households (SPH) and multiple person households. Method A cross-sectional study conducted among 211 individuals in communities in Harris and Waller Counties, Texas. Sociodemographic, food purchase, food consumption and food handling activities during the COVID-19 pandemic were assessed with a validated COVID-19 Nutrition questionnaire. Results Non-Hispanic Black participants constituted 42.6%, and 28.4% were Hispanics. Participants were made up of mostly aged 18–24 years (39.3%), 47.9% single household composition, 30.4% in full time employment, and 29.1% partook in food assistance programs. A large proportion of them had never used grocery pickup services, online grocery shopping and a farmers’ market. During the COVID-19 pandemic, majority of the participants used more of large supermarkets, restaurant/fast food, and online grocery but food consumption seemed to remain the same for the majority of participants. For beverages, majority of participants consumed more water, less soda, and no alcohol. There was a significant association between single person household and higher restaurant/fast foods purchase. Many of the participants reported weight gain and less physical activity during the pandemic. Conclusion Restaurant meal purchases was more prevalent in single-person families. The results from the study have the potential to contribute to how public policy officials, food service, and health authorities forecast how different categories of consumers will react in pandemics and may be used to inform area-specific alleviation strategies to minimize the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and future events.

Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Changes in Consumer Purchasing Behavior in the Food Market with a Focus on Meat and Meat Products—A Comprehensive Literature Review

“…Evidence also suggests that the implementation of lockdown and social distancing measures resulted in changes in consumer habits that adversely affected health, including prolonged TV viewing and increased snacking, elevated consumption of processed foods, and reduced physical activity. Individuals faced with COVID-19 had limited access to healthy foods, ate more frequently even when not hungry, and were less physically active [ 31 , 34 , 104 , 105 , 106 ]. The primary factors contributing to weight gain during the pandemic were reduced physical activity and increased food consumption [ 32 ].…”

“…France, Norway, Ecuador − (Emotional reasons for eating, such as eating out of boredom or fear) [27][28][29] UK − (Increased consumption of energy-dense snacks) [30] Italy − (Increased consumption of unhealthy foods due to higher levels of anxiety) [8] USA, China − (Food as an element to reduce stress and cope with boredom) [23] USA (Texas), China − (Weight gain and reduced physical activity) [31,32] USA, Poland, France, China, Brasil − (Reduced physical activity and increased food intake, including snacks and ultra-processed foods) [27,[32][33][34][35] Changes in consumer purchasing behavior and habits UK, Spain, Great Britain (England, Scotland, Wales), China, Canada − (Large-scale food stockpiling; panic buying) [25,[36][37][38][39] UK, Canada, USA − (Intense short-term pressure on the whole supply chain, affecting the shortage of basic food products in stores) [21,36,39] France − (Purchasing fewer fresh products) [27] USA − (Increased consumer concern about the availability of groceries when shopping) [7] Changes in consumer behavior and habits Canada, Kuwait + (Switching from food services to cooking at home) [17,39] Turkey + (Increased consumption of foods that boost the immune system) [40] USA, China + (Families spending more time cooking and eating together at home) [23] USA, China, Kuwait + (Increased efficiency in the use of food when cooking at home and less waste) [17,23] USA, China + (Closer family bonding around the dinner table and, perhaps, better nutrition from increased time spent on meal planning and preparing at home) [23] Kuwait + (Taking actions by consumers to better manage food at home, for example, creating shopping lists and creative meal preparation) [17] Changes in food supply channels UK, USA + (A large rise in non-store (online) sales)…”