Short-Term Effects of the COVID-19 Outbreak on Consumer Perceptions of Local Food Consumption and the Local Agri-Food Sector in Austria

Abstract

Disruptions in agri-food systems caused by crises, such as the COVID-19-pandemic, reveal the vulnerability of global food supply chains. Such crises might consequently impact consumer perceptions about the relevance of local food production and consumption. In this light, this study aims to (i) identify whether the COVID-19 outbreak led to short-term changes in perceptions about local food consumption and (ii) capture how the role of local agri-food systems is perceived in times of crisis. For the first purpose, this study analyzes two waves of survey data collected from an Austrian sample (n = 351) to compare pre-and post-COVID-19 levels of consumer values, beliefs, and attitudes towards local food. For the second purpose, the paper assesses consumer perceptions about the reliability and resilience of the local agri-food sector in response to the COVID-19 outbreak. The results reveal that while consumer perceptions driving local food consumption at an early phase of the pandemic remained stable at large, the perceived relevance of the local agri-food sector attenuated. Consumers showed strong beliefs in the local agriculture as a reliable and trustworthy partner during the pandemic guaranteeing food supply security. Based on these findings, the paper discusses how these insights into consumer perceptions in response to macro-level disruptions might help to better understand short-term demand-side implications of other forms of external crises affecting local food production and supply. Finally, the paper provides recommendations for practitioners and avenues for future research to determine implications from a long-term perspective.