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COVID-19 Working Paper National Trends in Food Retail Sales During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Findings from information Resources, Inc. (IRI) Retail-Based Scanner Data

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  • McLaughlin, Patrick W.
  • Stevens, Alexander
  • Dong, Xiao
  • Chelius, Carolyn
  • Marchesi, Keenan
  • MacLachlan, Matthew

Abstract

This report summarizes national trends in the level and composition of food retail sales associ- ated with the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The analysis primarily uses weekly retail-based scanner data that span the start of the pandemic through March 13, 2022. For the first 2 years of the pandemic, between the declaration of the national emergency concerning the pandemic on March 13, 2020, and March 13, 2022, real food retail sales increased by roughly 10 percent compared to pre-pandemic levels. These increases were especially driven by sales of meat products (including beef, pork, and seafood), although the relative composition of food retail sales roughly returned to pre-pandemic makeup as of March 2021. Real food retail sales during the second year of the pandemic, between March 13, 2021, and March 13, 2022, were 6.6 percent higher compared to pre-pandemic levels. While total nominal food retail sales varied across States, changes in national-level nominal sales largely explain changes in sales over time within each State. Changes in real food retail sales generally mirrored changes in the number of transactions taking place at food service establishments, but during March and April 2020, real food retail sales rose faster than the rate at which the number of food service transactions fell.

Suggested Citation

  • McLaughlin, Patrick W. & Stevens, Alexander & Dong, Xiao & Chelius, Carolyn & Marchesi, Keenan & MacLachlan, Matthew, 2022. "COVID-19 Working Paper National Trends in Food Retail Sales During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Findings from information Resources, Inc. (IRI) Retail-Based Scanner Data," USDA Miscellaneous 333527, United States Department of Agriculture.
    • Handle: RePEc:ags:usdami:333527
    DOI: 10.22004/ag.econ.333527
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Marianne P. Bitler & Hilary W. Hoynes & Diane Whitmore Schanzenbach, 2020. "The Social Safety Net in the Wake of COVID-19," Brookings Papers on Economic Activity, Economic Studies Program, The Brookings Institution, vol. 51(2 (Summer), pages 119-158.
    2. Muth, Mary K. & Sweitzer, Megan & Brown, Derick & Capogrossi, Kristen & Karns, Shawn A. & Levin, David & Okrent, Abigail & Siegel, Peter & Zhen, Chen, 2016. "Understanding IRI Household-Based and Store-Based Scanner Data," Technical Bulletins 234905, United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service.
    3. Marchesi, Keenan & McLaughlin, Patrick W., 2022. "COVID-19 Working Paper: The Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Food-Away-From-Home Spending," USDA Miscellaneous 323863, United States Department of Agriculture.
    4. Giri, Anil K. & McDonald, Tia & Subedi, Dipak & Whitt, Christine, 2021. "COVID-19 Working Paper: Financial Assistance for Farm Operations and Farm Households in the Face of COVID-19," USDA Miscellaneous 312953, United States Department of Agriculture.
    5. Todd, Jessica E. & Mancino, Lisa & Leibtag, Ephraim S. & Tripodo, Christina, 2010. "Methodology Behind the Quarterly Food-at-Home Price Database," Technical Bulletins 97799, United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service.
    6. Kuhns, Annemarie & Leibtag, Ephraim & Volpe, Richard & Roeger, Ed, 2015. "How USDA Forecasts Retail Food Price Inflation," Technical Bulletins 206500, United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service.
    7. Cho ,Clare & W. McLaughlin, Patrick & Zeballos, Eliana & Kent, Jessica & Dicken, Chris, 2019. "Capturing the Complete Food Environment with Commercial Data: A Comparison of TDLinx, ReCount, and NETS Databases," Technical Bulletins 288291, United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service.
    8. Dong, Xiao & Zeballos, Eliana, 2021. "COVID-19 Working Paper: The Effects of COVID-19 on Food Sales," USDA Miscellaneous 309615, United States Department of Agriculture.
    9. Giri, Anil K & McDonald, Tia & Subedi, Dipak & Whitt, Christine, 2021. "COVID-19 Working Paper: Financial Assistance for Farm Operations and Farm Households in the Face of COVID-19," Administrative Publications 327345, United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service.
    10. Todd, Jessica E. & Mancino, Lisa & Leibtag, Ephraim S. & Tripodo, Christina, 2010. "Methodology Behind Quarterly Food- at- Home Price Database," Technical Bulletins 184309, United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service.
    11. Marchesi, Keenan & McLaughlin, Patrick W, 2022. "COVID-19 Working Paper: The Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Food-Away-From-Home Spending," Administrative Publications 327337, United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service.
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    1. Çakır, Metin & Pérez, Ana M. & Arita, Shawn & Cooper, Joseph & Nemec Boehm, Rebecca, 2024. "Perspectives on high U.S. retail food prices during 2020–2022," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 129(C).

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