Impact of online grocery and food delivery services on food insecurity: a case of US households, before and during the COVID-19 pandemic
Journal of Agribusiness in Developing and Emerging Economies
ISSN: 2044-0839
Article publication date: 4 June 2024
Abstract
Purpose
This study assesses the impact of online grocery shopping and food delivery services on food insecurity before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Design/methodology/approach
This study uses an online survey of 1,532 respondents. Respondents’ sociodemographics, food consumption, purchasing behavior, food security status, food insecurity coping mechanisms and concerns associated with food safety were asked before and during COVID-19.
Findings
Online grocery shopping and food delivery services increase food insecurity. Moreover, households with female primary shoppers were less likely to be food insecure than households with male primary shoppers. Furthermore, households with children were more likely to be food insecure. Minority households, such as Black, Hispanic, Native American and younger households, were more likely to be food insecure.
Research limitations/implications
Panel data with the same households surveyed before and after COVID-19 would be a better approach. Similarly, the impact of online shopping on food insecurity needs further research, as many factors could be associated with online shopping that impact food insecurity, especially during a crisis like the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, a study of the long-term impact of online shopping on food insecurity would be interesting and could present broader and more generalizable results.
Originality/value
The impact of online shopping on food insecurity before and during COVID-19 has yet to be studied sufficiently. Given the increase in popularity of online grocery shopping, its impact on food insecurity still needs to be discovered. Besides online grocery shopping, we also study online food delivery services whose demand has gained momentum over the past few years, including during the pandemic.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The research presented in this article was conducted as part of the first author’s graduate studies at New Mexico State University.
The funding was provided by Hatch Grant, USDA.
Citation
Sapkota, S.C., Dsouza, A. and Acharya, R.N. (2024), "Impact of online grocery and food delivery services on food insecurity: a case of US households, before and during the COVID-19 pandemic", Journal of Agribusiness in Developing and Emerging Economies, Vol. ahead-of-print No. ahead-of-print. https://doi.org/10.1108/JADEE-01-2024-0030
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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