Consumer Behaviour Towards Food Purchases Before, During, and After the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cluster Analysis

Liana Stanca, Veronica Câmpian and Dan-Cristian Dabija ()
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Liana Stanca: Babeș-Bolyai University
Veronica Câmpian: Babeș-Bolyai University
Dan-Cristian Dabija: Babeș-Bolyai University

A chapter in Smart Solutions for a Sustainable Future, 2025, pp 507-519 from Springer

Abstract: Abstract The COVID-19 pandemic has radically altered customer acquisition behaviour, with many retaining several previously developed preferences in the New Normal. Quantitative research was used through a questionnaire to identify consumer expectations and behaviour regarding food purchases before, during, and after the COVID-19 pandemic. The aggregated data from 381 respondents were subject to a reliability check, exploratory factor analysis, and cluster analysis through the K-means clustering algorithm. The results allowed the identification of two consumer clusters: one cluster comprised of COVID-19 Pandemic Denials, namely individuals who do not believe in the pandemic and its aftermath and who buy food without regard to health and other restrictions, and Anxious COVID-19 Buyers, who are afraid of the virus and the pandemic and resort to food purchases in maximum safety. The research is relevant for managers of retail companies, as this segmentation allows them to understand customer motivations and preferences better, creating well-defined offers for each cluster.

Keywords: Consumer behavior; Cluster analysis; COVID-19 pandemic; Food; Purchasing; Retail (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:spr:prbchp:978-3-031-78179-7_31

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DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-78179-7_31

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