COVID-19 REDEFINING FOOD CONSUMPTION AUTHOR’S PAGE TITLE: COVID-19 Redefining Food Consumption Patterns: The New Normal for FCS Professionals WORD COUNT: XXX (excluding abstract and references) AUTHORS: Fatihaat Ismail, Master’s Candidate (Dec. 2021) University of North Texas College of Merchandising, Hospitality & Tourism 1155 Union Circle, Box 311100 Denton, TX 76203 940.565.2436 (office) (cell) Fatihaat1@gmail.com *Christy Crutsinger, Ph.D. Professor & Director of CMHT Leadership Institute University of North Texas College of Merchandising, Hospitality & Tourism 1155 Union Circle, Box 311100 Denton, TX 76203 940.565.2436 (office) 940.453.5890 (cell) christyc@unt.edu *Corresponding Author COVID-19 REDEFINING FOOD CONSUMPTION COVID-19 Redefining Food Consumption Patterns: The New Normal for FCS Professionals COVID-19 has redefined normal around the world. Perhaps nowhere is this more evident than in the food industry. Food is a key aspect of our personal health; hence, it is no surprise the COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted our food system as well as our relationship with food (Janssen et al., 2021). This brief paper highlights some of the major changes in food consumption patterns prompted by the pandemic and provides suggestions for family and consumer science professionals to leverage these changes for new career and market opportunities. Impact of COVID-19 on Food Consumption At the onset of the global pandemic, consumers engaged in panic buying, or over purchasing, resulting in stock-outs and purchasing limits placed on many food items (Chenarides et al,. 2021; Islam, et al., 2021). Without regard for longevity and freshness, consumers purchased food items brought on by heightened fear and intense media influence (Chua et al, 2021). Alarmist messaging sent out via social media played an prominent role in the perceived scarcity (Islam et al, 2021). Irrespective of geographic boundaries, store shelves around the globe were empty. As lockdowns limited physical access to restaurants and other food sources, some establishments grew while others were devasted. The traditional brick and mortar grocery shopping experience was transformed overnight, contact-free delivery surged in popularity (Gibson et al., 2021). The need for social distancing while shopping has led to this concept’s popularity. A study conducted in May 2020 reported that 37% of its respondents had used COVID-19 REDEFINING FOOD CONSUMPTION contactless delivery methods more during the pandemic. Beyond the fear of availability, consumers were fearful of infection from other grocery shoppers (Shamim, Ahmad & Alam, 2020). Similarly, apps such as UberEats and XXX saw significant gains (find reference). Many restaurants were caught off guard as they did not have the technological infrastructure in place to quickly adapt to these changes. The devastation of the restaurant industry resulted in loss of jobs and many well-known chains and mom-and pop restaurants closing their doors. The pandemic has caused various restaurants to close their doors, some temporarily, others permanently. As of July 10, 2020, 26,160 restaurants had stopped operations, with 15,770 of these being permanent (McCarthy, 2020). Once a failing industry, meal-kit subscription (e.g., Hello Fresh, Blue Apron) companies were interestingly redeemed during the pandemic. Projections suggests that this industry will reach almost $27 billion by the year 2027 (Alterman, 2021). Once seen a food option for a select group of millennials, there is a renewed appetite for meal kits for a broader spectrum of consumers as the service eliminates the grocery shopping process, limits physical in-store contact, provides interesting food options, and offers balanced meals with minimal waste (Durmon, 2020). Consumers can enjoy the cooking and dining experience from the comfort of their homes. While cost deter many consumers, meal subscription services may have the biggest impact on food sustainability in the amount of energy that is saved during the distribution process from the product to the person (Pascoe, 2021). Left at home with limited activities, individuals and families focused their energy on the creation of food. Because of the stay-at-home rules put in place across the country, more consumers cooked meals in the home. For the most part, this outcome produced a win-win as individuals gained more knowledge about the food they were putting into their bodies and honed COVID-19 REDEFINING FOOD CONSUMPTION new cooking skills. Many families report that they have been cooking home-cooked meals and spending more time cooking or eating with their family (Dou et al., 2021). The social benefits of eating together cannot be ignored as many reported find a study about benefits of eating together during lockdown. To begin with, families are building a stronger bond by communicating at the dining table more often than the pre-pandemic times. Conversely, some evidence suggest that overeating may have occurred. Eating together is strongly appreciated as it helps lighten the meal atmosphere and helps eating behavior (Philippe, Issanchou &, Monnery-Patris, 2021). Zachary (2021) reported that roughly 22% of adults reported weight gain during the COVID-19 pandemic. According to Redman (2021), the eating-at-home trend does not appear to be disappearing anytime soon. Implications for Family and Consumer Science Professionals The shifts in food consumption patterns are here to stay, and it is imperative that family and consumer science programs align with these trends. From recipe developers to brand managers, there is no shortage of open positions. Food-related companies are seeking employees who have skill sets that can bring food safely to individuals, families and communities. What is most interesting is that these entry and executive-level positions are situated across multiple FSC content areas (i.e., culinary arts, food science, nutrition, education and training, retailing, health management, and wellness) and deeply aligned with the FCS body of knowledge. As a discipline, we are well positioned to respond to these challenges. Whether that is providing cost-effective meal kit subscriptions to underserved populations in food deserts or creating new mobile apps for mom-and-pop restaurants, the opportunities are limitless. Food business incubators. Community nutrition programs. Global niche markets. Online cooking COVID-19 REDEFINING FOOD CONSUMPTION demonstrations. The pandemic may have changed our view and consumption of food, but sometimes the ‘new normal’ is better. References Alterman, R. (2021). Will 2021 be the breakout year for meal kits and fresh food? https://foodinstitute.com/focus/will-2021-be-the-breakout-year-for-meal-kits-and-freshfood/ Chenarides, L., Grebitus, C., Lusk, J. L., & Printezis, I. (2021). Food consumption behavior during the COVID-19 pandemic. Agribusiness, 37(1), 44-81. doi:10.1002/agr.21679 Chua, G., Yuen, K. F., Wang, X., & Wong, Y. D. (2021). The determinants of panic buying during COVID-19. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(6). doi:10.3390/ijerph18063247 Dou, Z., Stefanovski, D., Galligan, D., Lindem, M., Rozin, P., Chen, T., & Chao, A. M. (2020). The COVID-19 pandemic impacting household food dynamics: A cross-national comparison of china and the U.S. ().SocArXiv. doi:10.31235/osf.io/64jwy Retrieved from https://osf.io/preprints/socarxiv/64jwy/ Dumont, J. (2020, June 5). Meal kit industry expected to hit $20B by 2027. https://www.grocerydive.com/news/meal-kit-industry-expected-to-hit-20b-by2027/579265/ Filimonau, V., Vi, L. H., Beer, S., & Ermolaev, V. A. (2021). The covid-19 pandemic and food consumption at home and away: An exploratory study of English households. SocioEconomic Planning Sciences, 101125. doi:10.1016/j.seps.2021.101125 COVID-19 REDEFINING FOOD CONSUMPTION Gibson, A. A., Redfern, J., Roy, R., Raeside, R., Jia, S. & Partridge, S. (2021). Appetite for convenience: How the surge in online food delivery could be harming our health. Retrieved from http://theconversation.com/appetite-for-convenience-how-the-surge-inonline-food-delivery-could-be-harming-our-health-163348 Grandview Research Inc. (2021, April). Meal kit delivery service market size, share, & trends analysis report by offering, by service, by platform, by regio market size worth $19.92 billion by 2027. 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Meal kit delivery services–Can they advance sustainable eating? https://www.thebigq.org/2020/12/21/meal-kit-delivery-services-can-they-advancesustainable-eating/ Philippe, K., Issanchou, S., & Monnery-Patris, S. (2022). Contrasts and ambivalences in french parents’ experiences regarding changes in eating and cooking behaviours during the COVID-19 lockdown. Food Quality and Preference, 96, 104386. doi:https://doiorg.libproxy.library.unt.edu/10.1016/j.foodqual.2021.104386 Redman Russell. (2021). Study: Most U.S. consumers to stick with eating at home postpandemic. Retrieved from https://www.supermarketnews.com/consumer-trends/studymost-us-consumers-stick-eating-home-post-pandemic Schijndel, T. v. (2020). Meal-kits: What drives consumption? https://theses.ubn.ru.nl/bitstream/handle/123456789/9601/Schijndel%2C_Tom_van_1.p df?sequence=1. Shamim, K., Ahma, S., Alam, M. (2020). COVID-19 health safety practices: Influence on grocery shopping behavior. Journal of Public Affairs, DOI: 10.1002/pa.2624 Zachary, Z., Brianna, F., Brianna, L., Garrett, P., Jade, W., Alyssa, D., & Mikayla, K. (2020). Self-quarantine and weight gain related risk factors during the COVID-19 pandemic. Obesity Research & Clinical Practice, 14(3), 210-216. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.orcp.2020.05.004 COVID-19 REDEFINING FOOD CONSUMPTION
