COVID After-Effect

Consumer Food Purchase and Eating Habits Changing for Good?

Shifting Trends Across Food Shopping and Cooking

The Covid-19 pandemic across the world has resulted in major shifts in consumers' food purchase, cooking, and consumption habits.

With an increasing number of Americans turning towards cooking at home, can be a new found opportunity for food companies to adapt and evolve accordingly. Our research studies indicate the people are topping their stock with sweets, frozen pizza and salty snacks over other staple items. The growing concerns have made way for steady decline in grocery store visits. Reportedly, in International Food Information Council’s COVID-19 IFIC Consumer Research Survey, 52% fewer in-store trips were recorded during the first week of April. In comparison, online grocery has continued to surge, with more than 50% shoppers placing orders between March and April. Some of these trends are expected to continue even after the pandemic has settled down.

Resurgence of Home Cooking

Industry reports discussing the impact of novel coronavirus depict how consumers are showing preference for food with minimal human touch pints. In Technomic’s CoronaVirus The Food Service View Report, it was reported that consumers spending at restaurants have witnessed a 30 percent decline. With majority of brick and mortar establishments forced to close doors and bare super market shelves, home cooking is due for a strong comeback. It is believed that such a trend is a direct result of ongoing public hesitation around gathering. On the bright side, this opens up promising chapters for food processing and spice industries, as sales figures for staple cooking items and meal solutions continue to increase.

New Standards of Eating

As the significance of immunity continues to build, the value of veggies and fruits in managing pre-existing health conditions (diabetes, obesity, etc) is quite well documented. We have witnessed an increasing number of deliveries for organic food boxes across the American sub-continent which bears a strong proof to the trend.

Local Eating Making a Strong Foray

In Yelp’s Coronavirus Economic Impact Report, April 2020, it was clearly indicated how consumers are increasingly becoming aware about the source of the food. As such, there has been an increasing desire to pick up items from community backed agriculture. With safety becoming a paramount concern, an increasing number of consumers prefer on eating local. On the other hand, intermittent global supplies and border shutdown is reeling a heavy impact on foreign food production thus reducing imports largely. Until the world finds a solution to this pandemic, we might have to witness another 4-5 months of stockpiling and hoarding of plant based foods, pre-processed meal solutions , fruits, energy drinks, dried beans, lentils legumes, snacks, frozen fruits, pretzels, and just about everything that has a longer shelf life.

The demand for food delivery has already witnessed an increase by 135 percent. As the trend beckons to linger for a while, online food purchases and take-outs shall rule the roost. Restaurants are becoming creative by focusing on meal solutions and delivery to minimize touch points.