Management Research in Iran

Abstract The Covid-19 pandemic has brought about dramatic changes in various aspects of people's lives around the world. These changes also affected consumer behavior. In order to be less exposed to the disease, people observed social distancing and took precautionary measures such as wearing a mask and disinfecting hands. The purpose of the current research is to identify the behavioral responses of consumers during the pandemic of Covid-19, buying and consuming food. In order to achieve the goal, a sequential-exploratory mix method was used. In the qualitative phase of phenomenology, 40 interviews were conducted with consumers in Tehran using purposeful sampling. In the quantitative phase, six hypotheses were proposed, and the data were collected through a questionnaire. The results of the research showed that consumers responded in a reactive, coping and long-term adaptation way during the pandemic. Also, these answers do not differ between men and women, different generations and married and single people. The pandemic has changed people's diet and consumers have reduced the consumption of unhealthy foods and switched to eating healthier foods. The Covid 19 pandemic caused significant changes in consumer behavior. Sensitivity to the shopping environment increased during the pandemic. The visiting physical stores less frequently and the consumer's shopping pattern has moved towards online shopping and telephone ordering. The consumers used to buy from supermarkets and stores near their also places of residence, and they stated that after the end of it in the post-Covid era, they would visit them.