Food consumption practices during Covid-19: an opportunity for European consumers?

The COVID-19 pandemic, originating in Wuhan, China in late 2019, rapidly escalated to a global crisis, profoundly altering consumer behaviours. While initial reactions included widespread hoarding due to supply shortages, over time, restrictions led to new consumption behaviours such as increased home cooking, local shopping, and digital purchasing. This chapter employs a Consumer Culture Theory approach, integrated with the Theory of Practice, to examine the transformation of food consumption practices during the pandemic. The results of a qualitative analysis of thirty semi-structured interviews with young adults from Italy and the UK reveal significant changes in food-related habits, where English consumers implement strategies that are oriented towards more planned and health-conscious consumption. The reported results reaffirm the external shocks’ role in reshaping consumer identities and social practices while the comparative perspective highlights the contextual significance of cross-national implications in crisis times.