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Investigating the lasting changes in consumer food consumption and acquisition since the onset of the COVID‐19 pandemic

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  • Keenan Marchesi
  • James Chandler Zachary

Abstract

This paper examines the change in food‐at‐home consumption and food‐away‐from‐home consumption and acquisition in the United States from 2019 to 2024. Exploiting the variation in State‐level policy actions and vaccine rollouts, this work provides a longer‐term view of altered food consumption and acquisition behavior during and after the pandemic. The most recent period was positively associated with food‐at‐home consumption and negatively associated with total food‐away‐from‐home consumption, relative to pre‐pandemic, driven by changes in acquisition. Additionally, results show heterogeneity in food‐at‐home consumption and food‐away‐from‐home acquisition across different groups. This work provides insights on the sustained changes in food consumption since the pandemic.

Suggested Citation

  • Keenan Marchesi & James Chandler Zachary, 2025. "Investigating the lasting changes in consumer food consumption and acquisition since the onset of the COVID‐19 pandemic," Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 47(4), pages 1276-1297, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:apecpp:v:47:y:2025:i:4:p:1276-1297
    DOI: 10.1002/aepp.13529
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    References listed on IDEAS

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