Passing the Buck versus Sharing Responsibility: The Roles of Government, Firms, and Consumers in Marketplace Risks during COVID-19

Aya Aboelenien, Zeynep Arsel and Charles H. Cho

Journal of the Association for Consumer Research, 2021, vol. 6, issue 1, 149 - 158

Abstract: COVID-19 brought a high degree of disruption for society, firms, and consumers. Retail, grocery, and food services have been particularly affected as they were expected to maintain their operations while mitigating marketplace risks. Furthermore, epistemic uncertainty arising from the frequent and shifting scientific and lay knowledge on the virus required agile responsibilization of market actors. Using Canadian policy-maker, firm, and consumer communication data, our article maps the unfolding of the risk perceptions in the marketplace and highlights the strategies implemented by policy makers and firms in responsibilizing different market actors against risk. Our work contributes to the responsibilization literature and provides insights for managers and policy makers regarding compliance with health and safety guidelines.

Date: 2021
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