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Food consumption and stigmatization under COVID‐19: Evidence from Chinese consumers’ aversion to Wuhan hot instant noodles

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  • Na Hao
  • H. Holly Wang

Abstract

Pandemics often lead to food stigma, and the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic provides some evidence to this belief. Mitigating food stigma during the pandemic is vital for consumption replenishment and economic recovery and helping the stigmatized people. We conduct an empirical study to examine consumer behaviors using Wuhan hot instant noodles (WHINs), a packaged version of the famous Chinese dish reganmian, as a case study. Although WHIN's name and origin signify Wuhan, the epicenter of the pandemic, the noodles could be actually produced elsewhere, but since the COVID‐19 outbreak, WHIN has been avoided. On the basis of our results, we find that providing scientific information about the irrelevance between WHIN and the coronavirus is not effective in changing the minds of people with stigma. Moreover, stigma is more emotional than rational, especially among people with a lower self‐identified social class and poor psychological state. Therefore, psychological intervention programs may be warranted during pandemics to avoid potential stigmatization. The findings of this study could help to resolve the stigma affecting regional agriculture and the food economy. [EconLit citations: Q11, Q13].

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  • Na Hao & H. Holly Wang, 2021. "Food consumption and stigmatization under COVID‐19: Evidence from Chinese consumers’ aversion to Wuhan hot instant noodles," Agribusiness, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 37(1), pages 82-90, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:agribz:v:37:y:2021:i:1:p:82-90
    DOI: 10.1002/agr.21690
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Christopher Kanter & Kent D. Messer & Harry M. Kaiser, 2009. "Does Production Labeling Stigmatize Conventional Milk?," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 91(4), pages 1097-1109.
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    5. Vivian Hoffmann & Jacob R. Fooks & Kent D. Messer, 2014. "Measuring and Mitigating HIV Stigma: A Framed Field Experiment," Economic Development and Cultural Change, University of Chicago Press, vol. 62(4), pages 701-726.
    6. Corbet, Shaen & Hou, Yang (Greg) & Hu, Yang & Larkin, Charles & Oxley, Les, 2020. "Any port in a storm: Cryptocurrency safe-havens during the COVID-19 pandemic," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 194(C).
    7. Maik Kecinski & Deborah Kerley Keisner & Kent D. Messer & William D. Schulze, 2018. "Measuring Stigma: The Behavioral Implications of Disgust," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 70(1), pages 131-146, May.
    8. Shimokawa, S. & Niiyama, Y. & Kito, Y. & Kudo, H. & Yamaguchi, M., 2018. "No-tolerant Consumers, Information Treatments, and Demand for Stigmatized Foods: the Case of Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant Accident in Japan," 2018 Conference, July 28-August 2, 2018, Vancouver, British Columbia 277198, International Association of Agricultural Economists.
    9. Katner, Christopher & Messer, Kent D. & Kaiser, Harry M., 2009. "AJAE Appendix: “Does Production Labeling Stigmatize Conventional Milk?”," American Journal of Agricultural Economics APPENDICES, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 91(4), pages 1-10, March.
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    Cited by:

    1. Huashu Wang & Zhenyi Li & H. Holly Wang, 2022. "Does Backward Integration Improve Food Safety of the Tea Industry in China in the Post-COVID-19 Era?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(4), pages 1-15, February.
    2. Nawaz, Muhammad Zahid & Nawaz, Shahid & Guzmán, Francisco & Plotkina, Daria, 2023. "The aftermath of Covid-19: The rise of pandemic animosity among consumers and its scale development," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 157(C).
    3. Na Hao & Yi Zhang & Huashu Wang & H. Holly Wang, 2022. "Which Consumer Perceptions Should Be Used in Food Waste Reduction Campaigns: Food Security, Food Safety or Environmental Concerns?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(4), pages 1-11, February.

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