Does the COVID-19 pandemic change food consumption and shopping patterns? Evidence from Indonesian urban households

Purpose - This study investigate changes in food consumption and shopping patterns during the COVID-19 pandemic. Design/methodology/approach - The authors collected cross-sectional data from 507 households in three Indonesian cities, i.e. Surabaya, Surakarta and Bogor, via an online survey and analysed the data using nonparametric tests: the U-Mann Whitney test, the Kruskal-Wallis test and the ordered probit model. Findings - The results indicate that, during the pandemic, people 1) avoided eating out in a restaurant or cafeteria to reduce transmission risk and cooked at home instead; 2) stocked food products to minimise store visits; 3) chose a healthier diet including fruits and vegetables; and 4) wasted less food. These new trends could be linked to the socio-demographics, i.e. age, education, marital status and income level. Originality/value - This research was conducted during the peak of the COVID-19 outbreak in Indonesia between July and August 2021, so the findings could inform food-related long-term policymaking and responses to a crisis.

Automated summary

This study investigated changes in food consumption and shopping patterns during the COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia. The findings showed that people tended to cook at home, stock food products, opt for healthier diets, and waste less food. These new trends were associated with socio-demographic characteristics.