The recent outbreak of COVID-19 in South Korea has significantly raised the perceived risk of people about the new epidemic. Consumers’ perceived risks made them reluctant to make face-to-face contact, changing their food consumption behavior. Knowing the changes in the food industry caused by COVID-19 can help plan mid- to long-term measures in the future. In this regard, we examined how consumers’ tendency to avoid face-to-face contact changed their food consumption behaviors, and impacted on food-related industries. Our study shows that offline food consumption is expected to decrease overall while online food consumption is expected to increase. However, some offline channels such as convenience stores and marts nearby residences, the number of visitors would increase. The study also shows that eating out consumption would decrease while delivery and takeout consumption would increase. Consumers' reluctance to face-to-face contact seems to have influenced food consumption behaviors in most domains, but delivery and takeout consumption does not. Contrary to common beliefs, delivery and takeout consumption behavior rather seems to be affected by other factors.
Keywords : COVID-19, food consumption behavior, restaurant, delivery, take-out, online, retail, supermarkets
The recent outbreak of COVID-19 in South Korea has significantly raised the perceived risk of people about the new epidemic. Consumers’ perceived risks made them reluctant to make face-to-face contact, changing their food consumption behavior. Knowing the changes in the food industry caused by COVID-19 can help plan mid- to long-term measures in the future. In this regard, we examined how consumers’ tendency to avoid face-to-face contact changed their food consumption behaviors, and impacted on food-related industries. Our study shows that offline food consumption is expected to decrease overall while online food consumption is expected to increase. However, some offline channels such as convenience stores and marts nearby residences, the number of visitors would increase. The study also shows that eating out consumption would decrease while delivery and takeout consumption would increase. Consumers' reluctance to face-to-face contact seems to have influenced food consumption behaviors in most domains, but delivery and takeout consumption does not. Contrary to common beliefs, delivery and takeout consumption behavior rather seems to be affected by other factors.
Keywords : COVID-19, food consumption behavior, restaurant, delivery, take-out, online, retail, supermarkets