Study: COVID Fears Lessen Appeal of Local Food

Sept. 8, 2022
The pandemic may have increased sales in locally produced food, but it wasn’t because of explicit consumer preferences, according to a new study.

The pandemic may have increased sales in locally produced food, but it wasn’t because of explicit consumer preferences, according to a new study from Penn State University.

The study was based on an online poll of 1,650 consumers probing their attitudes toward local food in light of the pandemic, and gauging how much more they would be willing to pay for it. Researchers expected to find that the more an individual was concerned about the effects of the pandemic, the more she would be willing to pay for locally sourced food.

In fact, the opposite happened: As anxiety about the pandemic increased, willingness to pay more for local food decreased. “We find that priming participants to think about COVID‐19 significantly increases anxiety, slightly decreases sense of community, and reduces the price premium for all local foods,” the report reads.

An increase in sales for local food can probably be attributed to simple availability. “Regarding the demand for local food, our findings support previous research that found that consumers ‘were simply buying the food they could get due to out-of-stock situations,’” the report says.

Sponsored Recommendations

Recipe for successful growth: Schneider’s dedicated fleet services helps bakery rise

Learn how a large bakery company complimented their private fleet with Schneider Dedicated freight services to increase freight capacity, amplify visibility & reduce costs.

How to keep your refrigerated freight fresh

When shipping perishables, having the proper equipment is crucial. Here are the top features of a reefer trailer that can keep your refrigerated freight fresh.

The benefits of shipping refrigerated freight with a dedicated provider

There’s a low margin of error when shipping refrigerated freight. Read how a dedicated shipping provider can solve the biggest food and beverage challenges.

What is dedicated transportation?

Dedicated transportation can provide consistent freight capacity. Learn all about the benefits of dedicated freight shipping and see if it's right for you.