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E‐commerce improves dietary quality of rural households in China

Author

Listed:
  • Jiexi Shen
  • Zhanguo Zhu
  • Matin Qaim
  • Shenggen Fan
  • Xu Tian

Abstract

E‐commerce is gaining importance in the food sector of many countries, and its potential influence on people's access to food and dietary choices is yet to be thoroughly investigated. In this study, we analyze data from a food consumption survey conducted in rural China in 2021 to examine the impact of e‐commerce on individual food consumption patterns and dietary quality. Our results with instrumental variable models show that e‐commerce significantly reduces the consumption of staple foods, such as cereals and potatoes, while it increases the consumption of legumes, nuts, milk, and milk products, even after controlling for income and other confounding factors. Additionally, e‐commerce contributes to higher dietary diversity and dietary quality among rural households. In the face of shrinking physical markets in rural areas, it seems that rural e‐commerce can serve as an important mechanism to improve food access and meet the diversifying dietary demands of rural residents. [EconLit Citations: Q13, L81].

Suggested Citation

  • Jiexi Shen & Zhanguo Zhu & Matin Qaim & Shenggen Fan & Xu Tian, 2023. "E‐commerce improves dietary quality of rural households in China," Agribusiness, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 39(S1), pages 1495-1511, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:agribz:v:39:y:2023:i:s1:p:1495-1511
    DOI: 10.1002/agr.21864
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    2. Elmira, Elza Samantha & Suryahadi, Asep, 2025. "The impact of super apps on the nutrition transition in low- and middle-income countries: Evidence from Indonesia," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 59(C).
    3. Zhang, Hepei & Ma, Wanglin & Li, Junpeng & Yang, Wei, 2023. "Can citrus farmers earn more from selling online?," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 80(C), pages 1549-1560.
    4. Fariha Farjana & Thanh-Tung Nguyen & Matin Qaim, 2026. "The effects of internet use on smallholder farmers’ income and dietary quality in Bangladesh," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 18(2), pages 467-481, April.
    5. Shiyan Qiao & Zhangyuan Ouyang & Yanjun Jiang, 2025. "Digital village development improves household dietary diversity: evidence from rural China," Agricultural and Food Economics, Springer;Italian Society of Agricultural Economics (SIDEA), vol. 13(1), pages 1-23, December.
    6. Deng, Zhilong & Liu, Jian & Hong, Yu & Liu, Weigang, 2024. "The effect of internet use on nutritional intake and health outcomes: New evidence from rural China," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 11, pages 01-11.

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