Consumers' perspectives on online shopping and food safety during the COVID-19 pandemic

ABSTRACT

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, which emerged in 2019, is a serious respiratory disease. "Stay at home", "good hygiene" and "social distance" campaigns have been launched to prevent the spread of the virus worldwide. However, these measures were not enough to prevent the devastating effect of the virus, and these new conditions affected the purchasing behavior of consumers. The study, consumers' perspectives on online shopping and food safety during the COVID-19 pandemic were determined. In the study, the sample size was calculated using the proportional sample size formula and was determined as 150. The Covid-19 epidemic has changed the consumption and purchasing attitudes of people in our country as well as in the world. With the change in purchasing behavior, there is an increase in the level of awareness about food safety. According to the results of the research, it has been determined that consumers have a positive attitude towards online shopping and will continue to shop online after the pandemic. In addition, during the pandemic period, consumers should be aware of the expiration date of the food, the hygiene of the place where they buy food, the proper storage of food at home, the reading of the content on the label, gloves, masks, aprons, etc. It has been determined that they pay attention to clothing, brand, additives, food, safety and quality standards, production date, glass packaging. Manufacturers need to pay attention to food safety.