The Influence of Nutritional Information on Fast Food Buyers Behavior: From Pandemic Challenges to Endemic Adaptations

Abstract

Consumers around the world are adjusting to the next normal and due to the pandemic, there is significant variance in consumer sentiment and buying behavior. There is a renewed sense of caution due to COVID, the nation-wide lockdown made people indulge in panic buying of essentials and hygiene categories. Indian Consumers consistently report higher optimism (Mc Kinsey & Company, 2020) as the cases of COVID-19 adapt to increasing trend consumers resort to new normal of buying and changed consumption patterns. The changes are witnessing in areas, namely cashless transactions, online shopping, virtual learning, growing concerns to personal wellness and fitness aids and similar likewise (Gupta Surbhi, Indian Express,2020). The shift to new buying categories and proliferation of different customer needs has changed the context of consumer behaviour predictions.

Shift in consumer dietary behavior during the COVID pandemic has been researched in studies of (Mason et al, 2020; Sahin & Gul, 2022).  The pandemic has given a big push to food label reading behaviour among consumers. People are convinced with the fact that habit of reading nutritive content in food intake is the best tool to make healthy food choice and lead healthy lifestyle Sahin & Gul (2022). FSSAI is strongly supported the move with mandating the menu labelling in fast food joints. This encourages the authors to investigate the influence of nutritional information in fast food chains on buyers behaviour during the pandemic to endemic phase.  The study was conducted with 390 sample size of Jaipur respondents. Influence of nutritional information on buying behaviour was assessed through online questionnaires. It was found significant influence of nutritional information on fast food buying behaviour.