engleski

Citizens’ opinions on buying and compliance with sanitary rules while buying food products during (the first wave) of the COVID-19 pandemic

Because of the rules that were imposed with the aim of preventing and minimizing the spread of the novel coronavirus, many citizens were faced with a new, unknown lifestyle, which also includes grocery shopping. With shopping being restricted, more citizens were buying large and unnecessary amounts of food which resulted in a decreased consumption of fresh foods and an increased consumption of processed foods. The aim of this study was getting people’s perspective on buying food products, possibility of maintaining healthy eating habits, supplement usage and compliance with sanitary rules during and after shopping amidst isolation in the first wave of coronavirus pandemic in the northwest area of Croatia. This study was conducted for the purpose of obtaining a bachelor’s degree in the period between March 31st and April 7th of 2020. The questionnaire was made using Google Forms and was shared across social media platforms. The questionnaire was compiled for the purposes of this study and it included 22 questions. Participation in this study was voluntary and anonymous. 856 people participated in this study (649 women and 207 men). All data was analyzed and processed in Microsoft Excel 2019 program. The data is presented in descriptive terms. The results show that the three main criteria people are guided by while buying foods are: quality, accessibility, and the origin of the product. More than 70% of participants think that they consume more food in larger amounts in comparison to the state before the crisis. As many as 93% of participants think that society pressures them to buy larger amounts of food. A majority of participants is following safety precautions while buying products and after they come home. Because of the isolation, people feel pressured to buy and consequently consume more food. Even though the whole world is facing a crisis, people still care about product quality and safety during shopping.

nutrition ; coronavirus ; isolation ; purchase ; hygiene

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