Pandemic-Driven Consumer Behaviour: A Foraging Exploration

Victoria Wells; Marylyn Carrigan; Navdeep Athwal

doi:10.1177/14705931231175695

Pandemic-Driven Consumer Behaviour: A Foraging Exploration

Victoria Wells, Marylyn Carrigan, Navdeep Athwal

The York Management School

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

COVID-19 has had a profound effect on consumer behaviour. This conceptual piece uses foraging theory, extending and developing the foraging ecology of consumption model, to examine consumer behaviour in a pandemic. It is argued that a foraging interpretation of consumer behaviour is more relevant in situations where supply is uncertain, risks are enhanced and resourcefulness is important. The paper assesses the underlying mechanisms of behaviour change- objectives, currency and constraints – from a foraging perspective and examines their role in changing both patch (retail) choices and which items are consumed (prey choices). Additionally, the paper examines temporal and social challenges within the pandemic. The paper considers whether pandemic consumption behaviours will remain as threat levels subside and concludes with suggestions for future research.

Original language	English
Number of pages	29
Journal	Marketing Theory
Early online date	13 May 2023
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1177/14705931231175695
Publication status	E-pub ahead of print - 13 May 2023

Bibliographical note

Keywords

Foraging theory, Consumer, COVID-19, Pandemic, Currency, Fear, Hoarding, Constraints

Access to Document

10.1177/14705931231175695Licence: CC BY

Pandemic-driven consumer behaviour: A foraging exploration
© The Author(s) 2023
Final published version, 953 KBLicence: CC BY

Cite this

@article{7b9476904baf418c9d7fbda7a3557442,

title = "Pandemic-Driven Consumer Behaviour: A Foraging Exploration",

abstract = "COVID-19 has had a profound effect on consumer behaviour. This conceptual piece uses foraging theory, extending and developing the foraging ecology of consumption model, to examine consumer behaviour in a pandemic. It is argued that a foraging interpretation of consumer behaviour is more relevant in situations where supply is uncertain, risks are enhanced and resourcefulness is important. The paper assesses the underlying mechanisms of behaviour change- objectives, currency and constraints – from a foraging perspective and examines their role in changing both patch (retail) choices and which items are consumed (prey choices). Additionally, the paper examines temporal and social challenges within the pandemic. The paper considers whether pandemic consumption behaviours will remain as threat levels subside and concludes with suggestions for future research.",

keywords = "Foraging theory, Consumer, COVID-19, Pandemic, Currency, Fear, Hoarding, Constraints",

author = "Victoria Wells and Marylyn Carrigan and Navdeep Athwal",

note = "{\textcopyright} The Author(s) 2023",

year = "2023",

month = may,

day = "13",

doi = "10.1177/14705931231175695",

language = "English",

journal = "Marketing Theory",

issn = "1741-301X",

publisher = "SAGE",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Pandemic-Driven Consumer Behaviour

T2 - A Foraging Exploration

AU - Wells, Victoria

AU - Carrigan, Marylyn

AU - Athwal, Navdeep

PY - 2023/5/13

Y1 - 2023/5/13

N2 - COVID-19 has had a profound effect on consumer behaviour. This conceptual piece uses foraging theory, extending and developing the foraging ecology of consumption model, to examine consumer behaviour in a pandemic. It is argued that a foraging interpretation of consumer behaviour is more relevant in situations where supply is uncertain, risks are enhanced and resourcefulness is important. The paper assesses the underlying mechanisms of behaviour change- objectives, currency and constraints – from a foraging perspective and examines their role in changing both patch (retail) choices and which items are consumed (prey choices). Additionally, the paper examines temporal and social challenges within the pandemic. The paper considers whether pandemic consumption behaviours will remain as threat levels subside and concludes with suggestions for future research.

AB - COVID-19 has had a profound effect on consumer behaviour. This conceptual piece uses foraging theory, extending and developing the foraging ecology of consumption model, to examine consumer behaviour in a pandemic. It is argued that a foraging interpretation of consumer behaviour is more relevant in situations where supply is uncertain, risks are enhanced and resourcefulness is important. The paper assesses the underlying mechanisms of behaviour change- objectives, currency and constraints – from a foraging perspective and examines their role in changing both patch (retail) choices and which items are consumed (prey choices). Additionally, the paper examines temporal and social challenges within the pandemic. The paper considers whether pandemic consumption behaviours will remain as threat levels subside and concludes with suggestions for future research.

KW - Foraging theory, Consumer, COVID-19, Pandemic, Currency, Fear, Hoarding, Constraints

U2 - 10.1177/14705931231175695

DO - 10.1177/14705931231175695

M3 - Article

SN - 1741-301X

JO - Marketing Theory

JF - Marketing Theory

ER -