Developing a model of consumer behavioral responses during the Covid-19 pandemic

Geravand, Adele; Heidarzadeh Hanzaee, Kambiz; Dehdashti Shahrokh, Zohre; Abdolvand, Mohammad Ali

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

¹ PhD Student, Department of Management and Economics, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran

² Associate Prof. Department of Business Management, Faculty of Management and Economic, Science and Research branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.

³ Professor of Business Administration, Faculty of Management & Accounting, Allame Tabatabai University, Tehran, Iran

⁴ Assistant Professor, Department of Business Management, Faculty of Management and Economic, Science and Research branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, 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.

Keywords

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Developing a model of consumer behavioral responses during the Covid-19 pandemic

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Volume 28, Issue 2July 2024Pages 122-144

Volume 28, Issue 2
July 2024
Pages 122-144