A global crisis struck the world in the shape of the COVID-19 pandemic at the beginning of 2020. As a result, supermarkets have experienced panic buying behaviors, empty store shelves, out of stocks, and a large increase in online sales. Supermarkets, producers, marketers, and businesses have had to adapt to consumers' changed buying behavior in food consumption. In previous research, it has been found that price and quality are two of the most influential factors in the consumer decision- process, in particular, increased price sensitivity and perceived quality of food products concerns consumers in crisis situations. The aim of this study was to research beyond panic buying behaviors, by investigating if consumer buying behavior has changed during the COVID-19 pandemic regarding price sensitivity and perceived quality within two specific food categories, meat as well as fruits and vegetables. In addition, a moderating effect of residency in either Austria or Sweden was tested. A quantitative method has been used, in which consumers in Austria and Sweden were surveyed in an online questionnaire. 169 responses from consumers were analyzed. The result suggests that the buying behavior in regard to price sensitivity and perceived quality of meat, fruits, and vegetables has changed during the COVID-19 pandemic. No moderating effect of residency was found. The findings in the study create a foundation in a unique crisis situation that has never been studied before and the exploratory nature of the study gives multiple indicators for future research.

Submitted by Maicon Juliano Schmidt (maicons) on 2015-06-01T14:54:42Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Helena Beatriz Rower.pdf: 1700201 bytes, checksum: e1cfc9673a0cf09e95b5175f18b6ad50 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2015-06-01T14:54:42Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Helena Beatriz Rower.pdf: 1700201 bytes, checksum: e1cfc9673a0cf09e95b5175f18b6ad50 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013-01-31 / Nenhuma / Objetivo: Verificar a associação entre autopercepção de nervosismo/stress, distúrbios psiquiátricos menores (DPM) e consumo adequado de frutas, verduras e legumes (FVL). Método: Este é um estudo transversal de base populacional com uma amostra representativa de 1100 adultos, com idade igual ou superior a 18 anos, residentes na zona urbana de um município de médio porte do sul do Brasil. O consumo adequado de frutas e legumes foi avaliado através de duas perguntas: uma sobre a quantidade de frutas ou suco natural de frutas consumido ao dia, e outra, a respeito do número de colheres de sopa de verduras/legumes consumidos ao dia. Considerou-se como consumo adequado a ingestão de três ou mais frutas ao dia concomitante com cinco ou mais colheres de sopa de verduras/legumes ao dia. As exposições principais variáveis foram autopercepção de nervosismo/stress e DPM. Para fornecer uma estimativa das razões de prevalências (RP) brutas e ajustadas, utilizou-se a regressão de Poisson. Potenciais fatores de confusão eram variáveis demográficas, socioeconômicas e comportamentais. Resultados: Ao analisar a amostra total, observaram-se associações significativas entre o desfecho com a autopercepção de nervosismo/stress e DPM. Após o controle de fatores de confusão, adultos relatando ausência de nervosismo/stress possuíam uma prevalência de consumo adequado duas vezes maior do que aqueles com resposta positiva (RP=1,99; IC95% 1,17-3,37; p=0,010). Similarmente, participantes com ausência de DPM possuíam uma prevalência de consumo adequado FVL 52% mais elevada quando comparados àqueles que relataram presença de DPM (RP=1,52; IC95% 1,10-2,10; p=0,016). Quando estratificada para o sexo, este efeito se manteve e aumentou nas mulheres, perdendo efeito e significância estatística entre os homens. Conclusão: Os resultados sugerem que a saúde mental pode ter papel importante para o consumo adequado de FVL, especialmente entre as mulheres. / Objective: To assess the association between mental health with adequate fruits and vegetables consumption. Method: This is a population based cross-sectional with a representative sample of 1,100 adult subjects living in the urban area of a medium size city in Souther Brazil. The adequate fruits and vegetables ́ intake was evaluated through two questions: one asking the quantity of fruit or fresh natural juice ingested on a daily basis; the other asking the number of soup spoons of vegetables consumed in a day. It was considered as an adequate intake the ingestion of three or more portions of fruit and of five or more soup spoons of vegetables. The main exposures were self-reported nervousness/stress and minor psychiatric disorders (MPD). In order to provide an estimation of the unadjusted and adjusted prevalence ratios (PR) Poisson regression was used. Potential confounding factors were demographic, socioeconomic and behavioral. Results: When the full sample was analyzed, a significant association between the nervousness/stress self-awareness and minor psychiatric disturbances was found. After controlling for the confounding factors, adults reporting absence were 2 times more likely to have the appropriate daily fruits and vegetables intake than those reporting presence of stressfull/nervous estates (PR=1,99; CI95% 1,17-3,37; p=0,010). In the same way, subjects not reporting mental disorders had a prevalence of adequate intake FVL 52% higher compared to those who had MPD (PR=1,52; CI95% 1,10-2,10; p=0,016). When stratified by gender, this effect was kept and increased in women. However, it lost its effect and statistical significance among men. Conclusion: The results suggests that the mental health may have an important role in the adequate intake of fruits and vegetables, especially among women.