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Healthy Food Retail during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Challenges and Future Directions

Author

Listed:
  • Lucia A. Leone

    (School of Public Health and Health Professions, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14213, USA)

  • Sheila Fleischhacker

    (Law Center, Georgetown University, Washington, DC 20001, USA)

  • Betsy Anderson-Steeves

    (Department of Nutrition, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA)

  • Kaitlyn Harper

    (Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA)

  • Megan Winkler

    (School of Public Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA)

  • Elizabeth Racine

    (Department of Public Health Sciences, College of Health and Human Services University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC 28223, USA)

  • Barbara Baquero

    (Department of Health Services School of Public Health, University of Washington Seattle, WA 98195, USA)

  • Joel Gittelsohn

    (Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA)

Abstract

Disparities in dietary behaviors have been directly linked to the food environment, including access to retail food outlets. The Coronavirus Disease of 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has led to major changes in the distribution, sale, purchase, preparation, and consumption of food in the United States (US). This paper reflects on those changes and provides recommendations for research to understand the impact of the pandemic on the retail food environment (RFE) and consumer behavior. Using the Retail Food Environment and Customer Interaction Model, we describe the impact of COVID-19 in four key areas: (1) community, state, tribal, and federal policy; (2) retail actors, business models, and sources; (3) customer experiences; and (4) dietary intake. We discuss how previously existing vulnerabilities and inequalities based on race, ethnicity, class, and geographic location were worsened by the pandemic. We recommend approaches for building a more just and equitable RFE, including understanding the impacts of changing shopping behaviors and adaptations to federal nutrition assistance as well as how small food business can be made more sustainable. By better understanding the RFE adaptations that have characterized the COVID-19 pandemic, we hope to gain greater insight into how our food system can become more resilient in the future.

Suggested Citation

  • Lucia A. Leone & Sheila Fleischhacker & Betsy Anderson-Steeves & Kaitlyn Harper & Megan Winkler & Elizabeth Racine & Barbara Baquero & Joel Gittelsohn, 2020. "Healthy Food Retail during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Challenges and Future Directions," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(20), pages 1-14, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:17:y:2020:i:20:p:7397-:d:426137
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Coleman-Jensen, Alisha & Rabbitt, Matthew P. & Gregory, Christian A. & Singh, Anita, 2019. "Household Food Security in the United States in 2018," Economic Research Report 301167, United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service.
    2. Catherine Brinkley, 2018. "The Small World of the Alternative Food Network," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(8), pages 1-19, August.
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    Cited by:

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    6. Rachel Gillespie & Emily DeWitt & Stacey Slone & Kathryn Cardarelli & Alison Gustafson, 2022. "The Impact of a Grocery Store Closure in One Rural Highly Obese Appalachian Community on Shopping Behavior and Dietary Intake," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(6), pages 1-12, March.
    7. Gabriele Scozzafava & Caterina Contini & Francesca Gerini & Leonardo Casini, 2022. "Post-lockdown changes in diet in Italy and the USA: Return to old habits or structural changes?," Agricultural and Food Economics, Springer;Italian Society of Agricultural Economics (SIDEA), vol. 10(1), pages 1-20, December.
    8. Alyssa Moran & Christina Roberto, 2020. "The Retail Food Environment: Time for a Change," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(23), pages 1-4, November.
    9. Shi, Longzhong & Chen, Xuan & Chen, Bo & Qiu, Jingran & Li, Li, 2021. "Assessing Consumers’ Willingness to Pay for Covid-19-tested Food Labels," 2021 ASAE 10th International Conference (Virtual), January 11-13, Beijing, China 329403, Asian Society of Agricultural Economists (ASAE).
    10. Zhongyu He & Weijie Pan, 2022. "Food Acquisition during the COVID-19 Lockdown and Its Associations with the Physical–Digital Integrated Community Food Environment: A Case Study of Nanjing, China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(13), pages 1-13, June.
    11. Anne E. Lally & Alban Morina & Leah N. Vermont & Jill N. Tirabassi & Lucia A. Leone, 2022. "Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Mobile Produce Market Operations: Adaptations, Barriers, and Future Directions for Increasing Food Access," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(18), pages 1-16, September.
    12. Rolandas Drejeris & Martynas Rusteika, 2022. "New Approach to the Public Authorities’ Activities Development in the Crop Insurance System: Lithuanian Case," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 12(8), pages 1-15, August.
    13. Barbara Urszula Buraczyńska & Anna Elżbieta Żelazna & Agnieszka Barbara Bojanowska, 2022. "The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Behaviours of Polish Consumers in the Organic Products Market," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(19), pages 1-12, September.
    14. Viktória Szente & Imre Fertő & Zsófia Benedek, 2022. "Growing couch potatoes? The impact of COVID-19 in the light of personal values in Hungary," Agricultural and Food Economics, Springer;Italian Society of Agricultural Economics (SIDEA), vol. 10(1), pages 1-18, December.
    15. Jing Chen & Yong Zhang & Shiyao Zhu & Lei Liu, 2021. "Does COVID-19 Affect the Behavior of Buying Fresh Food? Evidence from Wuhan, China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(9), pages 1-15, April.
    16. Bart Geurden & Jeroen Cant & Joris Beckers, 2022. "Food Accessibility in the Suburbs of the Metropolitan City of Antwerp (Belgium): A Factor of Concern in Local Public Health and Active and Healthy Aging," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(23), pages 1-13, November.
    17. Samantha M. Sundermeir & Megan R. Winkler & Sara John & Uriyoán Colón-Ramos & Ravneet Kaur & Ashley Hickson & Rachael D. Dombrowski & Alex B. Hill & Bree Bode & Julia DeAngelo & Joel Gittelsohn, 2022. "A Commentary on the Healthy Community Stores Case Study Project: Implications for Retailers, Policy, and Future Research," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(14), pages 1-11, July.
    18. Mackenzie J. Ferrante & Juliana Goldsmith & Sara Tauriello & Leonard H. Epstein & Lucia A. Leone & Stephanie Anzman-Frasca, 2021. "Food Acquisition and Daily Life for U.S. Families with 4- to 8-Year-Old Children during COVID-19: Findings from a Nationally Representative Survey," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(4), pages 1-15, February.

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