Some of our “COVID food shifts” may be permanent

As the pandemic winds down, we are taking a closer look at how America’s eating and spending habits have changed.

An economist conducted a survey which suggests that some of our “food shifts” may be permanent.

According to Andy Harig with the Food Marketing Institute, “More and more people, 48 percent say they’re going to try to eat more healthy, more meals at home, 47 percent... We’ve seen a big rise in online shopping, but we also see a real anxiousness to get back to the store to make some of their own choices for themselves.”

He says that among the household shoppers, millennials are driving the trend to online buying, but generally, the demographics are a bit ambiguous: “35 percent of people say that they like in-store and online shopping equally... one-third of folks say that they prefer not to do it at all, and only 17 percent say that they like it, with only 20 percent say that they don’t mind doing it.”

He adds that the trend toward online shopping could change the nature of grocery stores.

Related:

Agriculture weathers the pandemic storm

Economists expect higher prices and a shift in available meats

How consumer buying habits have changed due to COVID-19