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This research aims to examine how consumers' consumption behaviors change in response to food supply chain disruptions and food security crisis during COVID-19. A new conceptual framework of consumer food stress and food consumption paradigms for crises is proposed based on the pillars of food security. This study also investigates the mediating effects of food prices and food stress on the proposed framework between pillars of food security and consumption behavior. A range of quantitative techniques was adopted for collecting the data during the COVID-19, with the sample of Bangladeshi consumers (n = 1150) generating a precise measurement. The study applied PLS-SEM (partial least squares-structural equation modeling) to predict food consumption behavior model and expose relevant relationships between all the constructs. Findings reveal that food access, food quality and safety, and food pricing directly impact consumer food stress and consumption behavior. Also, consumers' consumption behavior is ultimately influenced by food stress. However, food availability has no significant influence on food stress. This research is one of the few empirical studies exploring a range of food security variables that helps explain why consumers are so anxious about food during COVID-19. This study discussed theoretical and practical implications that help food producers, suppliers, marketers, and policymakers maintain a stable food supply chain management and manage food crises during national emergencies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research was done to discern changes in food consumption behavior in Indonesia two years after the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic. Primary data for this research was gathered through questionnaires distributed from 26 June 2022 until 26 July 2022 to 258 respondents living in Bandung, Indonesia, using a simple random sampling method, which was then processed with SPSS. Results showed that people’s food consumption levels increased. Furthermore, changes in food consumption behavior are also identified, such as increased grocery and food purchases through online applications and increased cooking time. People also eat with their family more often, rather than eating out. The relatively more controlled COVID-19 situation also made people calmer and felt no need to stock up on foods with longer storage lives. This research faces a limitation regarding its respondents’ diversity. Follow-up research can be conducted to address the decrease in personal employees’ work level identified in this research

The proliferation of quality labels for the same food product questions the relevance of labeling schemes. Based on the theory of legitimacy and research on food-related consumer behavior, this study aims to examine the influence of the perceived legitimacy of a label (PDO) on consumers' perceptions of the quality and purchase intentions of the labeled product. A conceptual model was, therefore, developed to estimate the influence of four dimensions of legitimacy on the perceived quality and purchase intention of PDO-labeled cheese, French cheeses being products whose quality is traditionally linked to their regional origin. Our model was tested on a sample of 600 consumers representative of the French population. Using Partial Least Square Structural Equation Modeling, results show that for surveyed consumers, the pragmatic, regulative, and moral legitimacy of the PDO label positively influences the perceived quality of PDO-labeled cheese. Furthermore, pragmatic legitimacy has a substantial and direct influence on purchase intention, whereas both regulative and moral legitimacy influence purchase intention only indirectly through perceived quality. Unexpectedly, our findings do not show a significant influence of cognitive legitimacy either on perceived quality or purchase intention. The output of this research contributes to a better understanding of the link between a label's legitimacy, perceived quality, and purchase intention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Maintaining a nutritious eating behavior for school children is one of the important health issues to be carried out during the current COVID-19 pandemic. The roles of parents, teachers, and health workers are necessary for school children. Objective: This study aimed to determine socio-demographic factors, knowledge, attitude, and food consumption behavior among vocational high school students during the COVID-19 Pandemic in the Municipality of Sleman, Indonesia. Methods: Cross-sectional design was employed among 84 students selected using purposive sampling. Data were collected in September 2021 using validated questionnaires. Chi-square test and multi logistic regression were used to examine associations between independent variables and food consumption behavior. Results: The majority of the respondents were females (94%), and the range of age of all the respondents was 15-18 years old. The multi logistic regression showed that the students who had low family income (Adj. OR = 4.38, 95% CI = 1.26-15.19), poor knowledge (Adj. OR = 8.39, 95% CI = 2.10-33.52), and had no roles of parent (Adj. OR= 5.45, 95% CI = 2.37-23.43) statistically significantly had poor food consumption behavior. Conclusion: The main variables that significantly influenced food consumption behavior in vocational high school students were level of knowledge, family income, and the role of parents. This study may serve as input for public health decision-makers to improve health promotion to the students in the school.

This study examined the food insecurity and coping mechanisms among the indigenous Bangladeshi population of the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) region to extract empirical evidence on the ongoing discussion on the COVID-19 pandemic-exacerbated food-insecurity situation. The study adopted a qualitative approach by interviewing 60 indigenous households. Data were collected in two phases between 15 June 2020, and 30 July 2021 in Bangladesh's Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) region. Thematic data analyses were performed using the Granheim approach and NVivo-12 software. The authors used Huston's social–ecological theory to explain the indigenous coping mechanisms. The research evidence revealed that most households experienced challenges over daily foods, manifesting in the decreasing consumption of them, the increased price of food items, a food crisis due to an income shock, malnutrition, the shifting to unhealthy food consumption, starvation and hunger, and food insufficiency, thereby leading to mental stress. This study further revealed that the indigenous population took crucial coping strategies to survive the pandemic. In response to COVID-19, they took loans and borrowed foods, reduced expenses, changed their food habits, avoided nutritional foods, relied on vegetables, sold domestic animals and properties, collected forest and hill foods, and depended on governmental and societal relief. This study also provides the in-depth policy actions for the urgent intervention of government, stakeholders, policymakers, NGOs, and development practitioners to take necessary initiatives to enhance the quality of life of the people that were affected by the post-pandemic recovery period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The proliferation of quality labels for the same food product questions the relevance of labeling schemes. Based on the theory of legitimacy and research on food-related consumer behavior, this study aims to examine the influence of the perceived legitimacy of a label (PDO) on consumers’ perceptions of the quality and purchase intentions of the labeled product. A conceptual model was, therefore, developed to estimate the influence of four dimensions of legitimacy on the perceived quality and purchase intention of PDO-labeled cheese, French cheeses being products whose quality is traditionally linked to their regional origin. Our model was tested on a sample of 600 consumers representative of the French population. Using Partial Least Square Structural Equation Modeling, results show that for surveyed consumers, the pragmatic, regulative, and moral legitimacy of the PDO label positively influences the perceived quality of PDO-labeled cheese. Furthermore, pragmatic legitimacy has a substantial and direct influence on purchase intention, whereas both regulative and moral legitimacy influence purchase intention only indirectly through perceived quality. Unexpectedly, our findings do not show a significant influence of cognitive legitimacy either on perceived quality or purchase intention. The output of this research contributes to a better understanding of the link between a label’s legitimacy, perceived quality, and purchase intention.

This study examined consumers' food consumption behavior related to COVID-19 infection prevention based on the risk perception attitude framework. It applied the risk perception attitude framework to classify consumers into four types based on K-cluster analysis. Further, it used data from the Consumer Behavior Survey for Food 2021 to examine the main and interaction effects of perceived risk and self-efficacy on food consumption behavior related to COVID-19 infection prevention. The results demonstrated that the main effect of self-efficacy significantly affected online purchase, eat-at-home, delivery service, and takeout service, but the main effect of perceived risk was statistically significant only for online purchases and eat-at-home. Further, the interaction effect between perceived risk and self-efficacy was statistically significant for delivery service and take-out services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the rapid spread of COVID-19 around the world has become one of the main focuses of concern in almost every country, and governments have taken numerous measures to prevent/mitigate the spread of the disease. As an essential social determinant, COVID-19 has significantly impacted consumers' food consumption behavior and healthy eating habits/behaviors. The purpose of this study is to analyze the impact of COVID-19 on food consumption behavior, and the main goal was to assess the possible problems (such as food waste and weight gain) caused by changes in food consumption behavior during the pandemic. Based on the accounting data of Chinese enterprises found in the China Stock Market and Accounting Research (CSMAR) database, this study uses economic theory and the translog function to conduct an average partial effect (APE) analysis of the pandemic, and finds that the COVID-19 pandemic has increased Chinese people's overall food consumption, and the consumption of food from large food enterprises has increased even more (APE = 0.11 vs. APE = 0.31). This study suggests that food waste and weight gain in the Chinese population may be more severe during the pandemic, and it is necessary to enhance food management and weight management through multiple pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the food insecurity and coping mechanisms among the indigenous Bangladeshi population of the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) region to extract empirical evidence on the ongoing discussion on the COVID-19 pandemic-exacerbated food-insecurity situation. The study adopted a qualitative approach by interviewing 60 indigenous households. Data were collected in two phases between 15 June 2020, and 30 July 2021 in Bangladesh’s Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) region. Thematic data analyses were performed using the Granheim approach and NVivo-12 software. The authors used Huston’s social–ecological theory to explain the indigenous coping mechanisms. The research evidence revealed that most households experienced challenges over daily foods, manifesting in the decreasing consumption of them, the increased price of food items, a food crisis due to an income shock, malnutrition, the shifting to unhealthy food consumption, starvation and hunger, and food insufficiency, thereby leading to mental stress. This study further revealed that the indigenous population took crucial coping strategies to survive the pandemic. In response to COVID-19, they took loans and borrowed foods, reduced expenses, changed their food habits, avoided nutritional foods, relied on vegetables, sold domestic animals and properties, collected forest and hill foods, and depended on governmental and societal relief. This study also provides the in-depth policy actions for the urgent intervention of government, stakeholders, policymakers, NGOs, and development practitioners to take necessary initiatives to enhance the quality of life of the people that were affected by the post-pandemic recovery period.

Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the rapid spread of COVID-19 around the world has become one of the main focuses of concern in almost every country, and governments have taken numerous measures to prevent/mitigate the spread of the disease. As an essential social determinant, COVID-19 has significantly impacted consumers’ food consumption behavior and healthy eating habits/behaviors. The purpose of this study is to analyze the impact of COVID-19 on food consumption behavior, and the main goal was to assess the possible problems (such as food waste and weight gain) caused by changes in food consumption behavior during the pandemic. Based on the accounting data of Chinese enterprises found in the China Stock Market and Accounting Research (CSMAR) database, this study uses economic theory and the translog function to conduct an average partial effect (APE) analysis of the pandemic, and finds that the COVID-19 pandemic has increased Chinese people’s overall food consumption, and the consumption of food from large food enterprises has increased even more (APE = 0.11 vs. APE = 0.31). This study suggests that food waste and weight gain in the Chinese population may be more severe during the pandemic, and it is necessary to enhance food management and weight management through multiple pathways.

This paper contributes to explaining the obesity epidemic and finding a potential remedy. We build a theoretical model of food consumption decisions that accounts for social influence. In our model, individuals' rationality is affected by an endogenous social weight norm, which influences their calorie consciousness and perceived survival chances. Individuals are conformist, and the degree of conformism describes the extent to which individuals' discounted utility is influenced by the social weight norm. With an endogenous social weight norm reflecting a heavier and heavier average body weight, we show that a high degree of conformism to the social norm could explain the obesity epidemic. In this environment, a government intervention decreasing energy density is ineffective at reducing steady-state body weight. This result could explain why this type of government dietary intervention seems to have had no effect on obesity, and suggests that the same type of intervention through the Food Stamps Program would be ineffective on its own. We also find that in the steady state, individuals can be overweight or underweight depending on their degree of conformism relative to the education they receive about the healthy weight. While education programs focusing on either diet or exercise have had moderate success, we show that focusing on healthy weight education could combat social influence and reduce obesity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic caused the abrupt replacement of traditional face-to-face classes into online classes. Several studies showed that online teaching and learning produced adverse mental health for students. However, no research has been conducted so far analyzing the association between the duration of online and food consumption and lifestyle behaviors and quality of life in terms of mental health of undergraduate students. This study aimed to determine the association between the duration of online learning and food consumption behaviors, lifestyles, and quality of life in terms of mental health among Thai undergraduate students during COVID-19 restrictions. A cross-sectional online survey of 464 undergraduate students was conducted at Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand, between March and May 2021. The majority of undergraduate students stated that they spent 3–6 h per day on online learning (76.1%) and used their digital devices such as computers, tablets, or smartphones more than 6 h per day (76.9%). In addition, they had 75.4% of skipping breakfast (≥3 times/week) and 63.8% of sleep duration (6–8 h/day). A higher proportion of students who drank tea or coffee with milk and sugar while online learning was observed. The results found that the increased duration of online learning was significantly associated with skipping breakfast and the frequency of sugary beverage consumption. On the other hand, the increased computer, tablet, and smartphone usage for online learning was correlated with lower sleep duration and a poor quality of life in terms of mental health. The findings from this study contribute to a report of the association between online learning and food consumption and lifestyle behaviors and quality of life of undergraduate students, emphasizing the necessity for intervention strategies to promote healthy behaviors.

Reducing the environmental footprint of the global food system significantly depends on shifting to more plant-based diets. However, deep-rooted eating habits and a general lack of awareness about food-related emissions hinder large-scale dietary shifts. Demand-side food policies can accelerate this transition towards plant-based diets. One policy instrument that may increase awareness of diet-related emissions and facilitate climate-friendly food consumption choices is a CO2 food label. The success of such demand-side food policies depends on socio-political and market acceptance. However, there is a lack of empirical evidence regarding the socio-political (i.e., feasibility) and market acceptance (i.e., effectiveness at changing behavioral intentions) of CO2 food labels. We also require more knowledge about the potential spillover effects of CO2 food labels on support for more ambitious demand-side food policies. The paper presents evidence from a survey experiment with a sample of Swiss residents (N = 2372) who were randomly provided with information about an established CO2 food label. The survey experiment was embedded in a cooperation throughout a larger long-term project with the second-largest Swiss retailer, which launched one of the world's first CO2 food labels in 2021. Findings show that providing information on a CO2 food label strengthens individuals' behavioral change intentions and support for a mandatory governmental CO2 food label. However, no spillover effect on support for other food policy instruments is identified, which also means that the study finds no crowding out effect by voluntary CO2 labelling initiatives on the support of governmental food policy measures. The results imply that a CO2 food label enjoys high market and socio-political acceptance. • Information on a CO2 label strengthens attitudes and behavioral change intentions. • Information on a CO2 label strengthens support for mandatory CO2 food labels. • A CO2 label enjoys high market and socio-political acceptance. • There is no spillover effect on the support of other more stringent food policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic poses a threat to global food security, and it changes consumers’ food buying and consumption behavior. This research not only investigates trends in Spanish consumers’ general food shopping and consumption habits during the lockdown, but also investigates these trends from the perspective of sustainable purchasing. Specifically, total food consumption (C), food expenditure (E), and purchase of food with sustainable attributes (S) were measured. Data were collected from a semi-structured questionnaire which was distributed online among 1203 participants. The logit models showed that gender, age, employment status, and consumers’ experiences were associated with total food consumption and expenditure during the lockdown. In addition, consumers’ risk perceptions, shopping places, trust level in information sources, and risk preference were highly essential factors influencing consumers’ preferences and sustainable behavior. Consumers’ objective knowledge regarding COVID-19 was related to expenditure. Furthermore, family structure only affected expenditure, while income and place of residence influenced food consumption. Mood was associated with expenditure and the purchase of sustainable food. Household size affected purchasing behavior towards food with sustainable attributes. This research provides references for stakeholders that help them to adapt to the new COVID-19 situation.

This paper is a short version of the paper published in Nogyo Keizai Kenkyu in Japanese (Shimokawa, 2020). The paper first proposes recommendations for a healthy and sustainable diet in Japan under the context of multidimensionality and clarifies the gaps between the diet and Japan's current diets. Second, it explores potential difficulties to achieve the healthy and sustainable diet by considering consumers' bounded rationality. Lastly, it discusses how we can tackle the difficulties by taking advantage of information and communication technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Meat substitute experience strongly predicts meat reduction intentions in China and US. • Meat substitute experience strongly predicts meat reduction policy support in China and US. • Factual information can increase meat reduction intentions and respective policy support. • Meat substitute experience can potentially boost the positive effect of information. • Strategic policy sequencing can increase support and create positive political feedback. The food system causes more than a third of the global anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions, of which half are from livestock. Shifting towards plant-based diets could significantly reduce deforestation, protect biodiversity, and contribute to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and Paris climate targets. Arguably, large-scale shifts in meat consumption require ambitious policy change. Yet, deep-rooted eating habits, pleasure, cultural status, and personal freedom are just a few of many obstacles to adopt ambitious demand-side policies and reduce meat consumption. Here, we hypothesize that technological innovation in meat substitutes, if effectively combined with social norm and factual informational triggers for behavioral changes, can foster positive political feedback to transform the food system. To test our hypothesis, we conducted survey experiments with citizens (N = 2590) in China and the US – the globally largest meat markets – and analyzed data using different machine learning methods. Our findings show that personal experience with novel plant-based meat substitutes strongly predicts individuals' intentions to reduce their meat consumption, eat more substitutes, and support public policies to catalyze a transition to more plant-based diets. We also find that in both countries factual and social norm information about the benefits of more plant-based diets can increase citizens' behavioral change intentions and support for meat reduction policies. Overall, however, social norm information had no significant additional effects on the outcomes compared to the simple factual information treatments. In the US, prior experience with innovative meat substitutes potentially can boost the positive effects of informational campaigns on public support for meat reduction policies. The results offer promising implications for a policy sequencing strategy to create positive political feedback and enable socio-technical tipping dynamics for sustainable food system transformation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fast food industry is one of the world’s fastest growing sectors in the food service industry. However, over the last two decades, with a growth in the number of nuclear families, economic growth and increasing per capita income as well as globalization, the fast food culture has gained prominence in India. Chandigarh, which is the capital city of Punjab and Haryana, is a hub for the majority of fast food chains. This is fundamentally due to the relatively rapid increase in discretionary income amongst mainly the youth. This study, which was carried out in order to try understand youth consumption behavior at branded fast food outlets in Chandigarh, revealed that the majority of the respondents prefer pizza, combo meals and burgers, followed by milkshakes and juices as beverages of choice. Furthermore, they prefer to go to fast food outlets with their friends and family at standalone outlets, and outlets inside malls and multiplexes which are next-in-line preferences. Cash is used as the major mode of payment followed by debit and credit card for settling of bills. Finally, when analyzing choices for fast food outlets, price is considered to be the major factor, followed by brand name, variety, home delivery and sales promotion techniques which lure people to the respective outlets.

Reducing or altering meat consumption has the potential to significantly lower the impact humans have on climate change. Consumers, however, are unlikely to break their food habits unless they are aware of the problem and motivated by the solutions. Fear appeals are often used to overcome this, however, their effectiveness in the context of meat reduction and climate change is unclear. Given the widespread use of fear appeals in information policy, it is important to understand more. The aim of this study was to explore fear—or more specifically—the danger control process in a climate change—food context in order to understand the factors which motivate consumers to reduce or alter their meat consumption. Using a stratified random sample of 222 respondents in Southern Sweden, we develop a model for predicting intentions to adopt specific and general actions to reduce or alter meat consumption. Our results suggest that the general key to motivating consumers is through increasing their self-efficacy towards adopting meat alternatives and educating them on the importance their actions have in reducing the threat. We also found that appraising the threat to self (or those close) was significant, but surprisingly the effect size was greater when the threat concerned others (e.g. others in impoverished nations, animals). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic caused the abrupt replacement of traditional face-to-face classes into online classes. Several studies showed that online teaching and learning produced adverse mental health for students. However, no research has been conducted so far analyzing the association between the duration of online and food consumption and lifestyle behaviors and quality of life in terms of mental health of undergraduate students. This study aimed to determine the association between the duration of online learning and food consumption behaviors, lifestyles, and quality of life in terms of mental health among Thai undergraduate students during COVID-19 restrictions. A cross-sectional online survey of 464 undergraduate students was conducted at Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand, between March and May 2021. The majority of undergraduate students stated that they spent 3–6 h per day on online learning (76.1%) and used their digital devices such as computers, tablets, or smartphones more than 6 h per day (76.9%). In addition, they had 75.4% of skipping breakfast (≥3 times/week) and 63.8% of sleep duration (6–8 h/day). A higher proportion of students who drank tea or coffee with milk and sugar while online learning was observed. The results found that the increased duration of online learning was significantly associated with skipping breakfast and the frequency of sugary beverage consumption. On the other hand, the increased computer, tablet, and smartphone usage for online learning was correlated with lower sleep duration and a poor quality of life in terms of mental health. The findings from this study contribute to a report of the association between online learning and food consumption and lifestyle behaviors and quality of life of undergraduate students, emphasizing the necessity for intervention strategies to promote healthy behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic poses a threat to global food security, and it changes consumers' food buying and consumption behavior. This research not only investigates trends in Spanish consumers' general food shopping and consumption habits during the lockdown, but also investigates these trends from the perspective of sustainable purchasing. Specifically, total food consumption (C), food expenditure (E), and purchase of food with sustainable attributes (S) were measured. Data were collected from a semi-structured questionnaire which was distributed online among 1203 participants. The logit models showed that gender, age, employment status, and consumers' experiences were associated with total food consumption and expenditure during the lockdown. In addition, consumers' risk perceptions, shopping places, trust level in information sources, and risk preference were highly essential factors influencing consumers' preferences and sustainable behavior. Consumers' objective knowledge regarding COVID-19 was related to expenditure. Furthermore, family structure only affected expenditure, while income and place of residence influenced food consumption. Mood was associated with expenditure and the purchase of sustainable food. Household size affected purchasing behavior towards food with sustainable attributes. This research provides references for stakeholders that help them to adapt to the new COVID-19 situation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]