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Changing Grocery Shopping Behaviours Among Chinese Consumers At The Outset Of The COVID‐19 Outbreak

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  • Junxiong Li
  • Alan G. Hallsworth
  • J. Andres Coca‐Stefaniak

Abstract

This study focuses on the embryonic stages of the COVID‐19 pandemic in China, where most people affected opted to abide by the Chinese government’s national self‐quarantine campaign. This resulted in major disruptions to one of the most common market processes in retail: food retailing. The research adopts the theory of planned behaviour to provide early empirical insights into changes in consumer behaviour related to food purchases during the initial stages of the COVID‐19 outbreak in China. Data from the online survey carried out suggest that the outbreak triggered considerable levels of switching behaviours among customers, with farmers’ markets losing most of their customers, while local small independent retailers experienced the highest levels of resilience in terms of customer retention. This study suggests avenues for further scholarly research and policy making related to the impact this behaviour may be having around the world on society’s more vulnerable groups, particularly the elderly.

Suggested Citation

  • Junxiong Li & Alan G. Hallsworth & J. Andres Coca‐Stefaniak, 2020. "Changing Grocery Shopping Behaviours Among Chinese Consumers At The Outset Of The COVID‐19 Outbreak," Tijdschrift voor Economische en Sociale Geografie, Royal Dutch Geographical Society KNAG, vol. 111(3), pages 574-583, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:tvecsg:v:111:y:2020:i:3:p:574-583
    DOI: 10.1111/tesg.12420
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    RePEc Biblio mentions

    As found on the RePEc Biblio, the curated bibliography for Economics:
    1. > Economics of Welfare > Health Economics > Economics of Pandemics > Specific pandemics > Covid-19 > Economic consequences > Consumption

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    Cited by:

    1. Xueting Jin & Daoqin Tong, 2024. "Impacts of COVID-19 on Food Access: An Examination of People’s Food Shopping Methods Change," International Regional Science Review, , vol. 47(4), pages 411-442, July.
    2. Szász, Levente & Bálint, Csaba & Csíki, Ottó & Nagy, Bálint Zsolt & Rácz, Béla-Gergely & Csala, Dénes & Harris, Lloyd C., 2022. "The impact of COVID-19 on the evolution of online retail: The pandemic as a window of opportunity," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 69(C).
    3. Maria-Magdalena Roșu & Rodica Ianole-Călin & Raluca Dinescu & Anca Bratu & Răzvan-Mihail Papuc & Anastasia Cosma, 2021. "Understanding Consumer Stockpiling during the COVID-19 Outbreak through the Theory of Planned Behavior," Mathematics, MDPI, vol. 9(16), pages 1-15, August.
    4. Vijaya Bandyopadhyaya & Ranja Bandyopadhyaya, 2024. "Understanding the Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic Outbreak on Grocery Stocking Behaviour in India: A Pattern Mining Approach," Global Business Review, International Management Institute, vol. 25(3), pages 750-770, June.
    5. Bargoni, Augusto & Giachino, Chiara & Troise, Ciro & Alam, Gazi Mahabubul & Quaglia, Roberto, 2023. "A digital family affair: Do family firms' characteristics enhance consumers' willingness to pay?," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 188(C).
    6. Dezie Leonarda Warganegara & Roozbeh Babolian Hendijani, 2022. "Factors That Drive Actual Purchasing of Groceries through E-Commerce Platforms during COVID-19 in Indonesia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(6), pages 1-21, March.
    7. Cruz-Cárdenas, Jorge & Zabelina, Ekaterina & Guadalupe-Lanas, Jorge & Palacio-Fierro, Andrés & Ramos-Galarza, Carlos, 2021. "COVID-19, consumer behavior, technology, and society: A literature review and bibliometric analysis," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 173(C).
    8. Valeria Borsellino & Sina Ahmadi Kaliji & Emanuele Schimmenti, 2020. "COVID-19 Drives Consumer Behaviour and Agro-Food Markets towards Healthier and More Sustainable Patterns," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(20), pages 1-26, October.
    9. Fabien Eymas & Faouzi Bensebaa, 2021. "Competitive strategies of small independent retailers," Post-Print hal-03179166, HAL.
    10. Michael D. Clemes & Kathryn Bicknell & Xuedong Li & Nicole Long, 2021. "Clicks or Bricks? Online Shopping Adoption in Australia," Business and Economic Research, Macrothink Institute, vol. 11(4), pages 78-103, December.
    11. Yao, Xuan & Xu, Zeshui & Škare, Marinko & Wang, Xindi, 2024. "Aftermath on COVID-19 technological and socioeconomic changes: A meta-analytic review," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 202(C).
    12. Ping He & Yu Gao & Longfei Guo & Tongtong Huo & Yuxin Li & Xingren Zhang & Yunfeng Li & Cheng Peng & Fanyun Meng, 2021. "Evaluating the Disaster Risk of the COVID-19 Pandemic Using an Ecological Niche Model," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(21), pages 1-23, October.
    13. Feng‐An Yang & Hung‐Hao Chang & Jiun‐Hao Wang, 2022. "The economic impact of the COVID‐19 pandemic on the Taiwanese food industry: Empirical evidence using business transaction data," Journal of Agricultural Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 73(2), pages 376-395, June.
    14. Budziński, Wiktor & Daziano, Ricardo, 2023. "Preferences for online grocery shopping during the COVID-19 pandemic — the role of fear-related attitudes," Journal of choice modelling, Elsevier, vol. 47(C).
    15. Alaimo, Leonardo Salvatore & Fiore, Mariantonietta & Galati, Antonino, 2022. "Measuring consumers’ level of satisfaction for online food shopping during COVID-19 in Italy using POSETs," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 82(PA).
    16. Beckers, Joris & Weekx, Simon & Beutels, Philippe & Verhetsel, Ann, 2021. "COVID-19 and retail: The catalyst for e-commerce in Belgium?," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 62(C).
    17. Rihn, Alicia L. & Jensen, Kimberly & Hughes, David W., 2022. "Tennessee's Wine Industry: Consumer Perceptions, Quality Assurance Programs and Marketing Strategies," Extension Reports 319853, University of Tennessee, Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics.
    18. Ellen Van Droogenbroeck & Léon Van Hove, 2021. "Adoption and usage of E-grocery shopping: A context-specific UTAUT2 model," ULB Institutional Repository 2013/324918, ULB -- Universite Libre de Bruxelles.
    19. Eulalia Skawińska & Romuald I. Zalewski & Joanna Wyrwa, 2023. "Students’ Food Consumption Behavior during COVID-19 Lockdown," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(12), pages 1-28, June.
    20. Ellen Van Droogenbroeck & Leo Van Hove, 2021. "Adoption and Usage of E-Grocery Shopping: A Context-Specific UTAUT2 Model," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(8), pages 1-27, April.
    21. Mirza Marvel Cequea & Jessika Milagros Vásquez Neyra & Valentina Gomes Haensel Schmitt & Marcos Ferasso, 2021. "Household Food Consumption and Wastage during the COVID-19 Pandemic Outbreak: A Comparison between Peru and Brazil," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(14), pages 1-22, July.
    22. Lidia Alexa & Andreea Apetrei & Juan Sapena, 2021. "The COVID-19 Lockdown Effect on the Intention to Purchase Sustainable Brands," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(6), pages 1-16, March.

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