Changes in Food Supply and Consumption Practices of People in Turkey During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has had social and economic impacts on every country in the world and has caused significant changes in human nutrition. In this study, changes in the food supply chain and consumption practices before and after the controlled normalization of people living in Turkey were examined, with a survey of 1087 people. The results revealed that people focused on a healthier diet during the pandemic. The increase in dietary supplement consumption has not been too high, only 11% of people started to take dietary supplements, but fast food consumption had a sharp fall. The packaging has become more critical. People continued to use take-out services from supermarkets and fast-food restaurants. Although normalization has begun, most of them (90%) reduced or did not think about eating out until COVID-19 will over. This study revealed the effects of the pandemic on human nutrition and showed which direction the food supply should go.

Keywords

• Pandemics
• Coronavirus
• Nutritional supplements
• Consumption habits

References

1. [1] M. A. Shereen, S. Khan, A. Kazmi, N. Bashir and R. Siddique. “COVID-19 infection: Origin, transmission, and characteristics of human coronaviruses”, J Adv Res., vol. 16, no. 24, pp. 91-98. 2020.
2. [2] World Health Organization (WHO). “WHO Director‐General’s opening remarks at the media briefing on COVID‐19”, Retrieved Juy 25, 2020, from https://www.who.int/dg/speeches/detail/who-director-general-s-opening-remarks-at-the-media-briefing-on-covid-19---11-march-2020.
3. [3] C. Ang. “The Economic Impact of COVID-19, According to Business Leaders”, Visualcapitalist, Published on December 29, 2020. Retrieved from: https://www.visualcapitalist.com/economic-impact-covid-19/. 2020.
4. [4] World Economic Forum. “The economic effects of COVID-19 around the world. Written by: Rosamond Hutt, 17 Febuary 2020”, Retrieved from: https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/02/coronavirus-economic-effects-global-economy-trade-travel/. 2020.
5. [5] A. Goolsbee and C. Syverson. “Fear, lockdown, and diversion: Comparing drivers of pandemic economic decline”, Journal of Public Economics, 193, 104311. 2020.
6. [6] L. Hensvik, T. L. Barbanchon and R. Rathelot. “Job search during the COVID-19 crisis”, Journal of Public Economics, vol. 194, 104349, 2021.
7. [7] R. Padhan and K. P. Prabheesh. “The economics of COVID-19 pandemic: A survey”, Economic Analysis and Policy, vol. 70, pp. 220-237. 2021.
8. [8] K. A. Abay, K. Tafere and A. Woldemichael. “Winners and Losers from COVID-19: Global Evidence from Google Search”, World Bank Policy Research Working Paper No. 9268, Retrieved July 20, 2020 from https://ssrn.com/abstract=3617347. 2020.

9. [9] N. Fernandes. “Economic Effects of Coronavirus Outbreak (COVID-19) on the World Economy”, IESE Business School Working Paper No. WP-1240-E, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3557504. 2020.
10. [10] N. Gencer. “Being elderly in COVID-19 process: Evaluations on curfew for 65-year-old and over citizens and spiritual social work”, Turkish Journal of Social Work Research, vol. 4, no. 1, pp. 35–42, 2020.
11. [11] F. Tang, J. Liang, H. Zhang, M. M. Kelifa, Q. He and P. Wang. “COVID-19 related depression and anxiety among quarantined respondents”, Psychology Health, vol. 36, no. 2, pp. 164-178, 2021.
12. [12] L. Marty, B. de Lauzon-Guillain, M. Labesse and S. Nicklaus. “Food choice motives and the nutritional quality of diet during the COVID-19 lockdown in France”, Appetite, vol. 157, 105005, 2021.
13. [13] F. A. Khalid, A. K. M. Ali, S. A. Ali, Z. Y. A. Mosmar, S. S. M. Salih, T. K. Salman, M. A. Desogi, M. A. Soghaier, E. E. Mohammed and A. A. Mohammed. “Households' dietary habits and food consumption patterns in Hamishkoreib locality, Kassala State, Sudan”, Journal of Ethnic Foods, vol. 4, no 3, pp. 181-186. 2017.
14. [14] N. Bundala, J. Kinabo, T. Jumbe, C. Rybak and S. Sieber. “Does homestead livestock production and ownership contribute to consumption of animal source foods? A pre-intervention assessment of rural farming communities in Tanzania”, Scientific African, vol. 7, e00252, 2020.
15. [15] E. Ruggiero, M. Bonaccio, A. di Castelnuovo, A. Bonanni, S. Costanzo, M. Persichillo, F. Bracone, C. Cerletti, M. B. Donati, G. de Gaetano, L. Iacoviello and INHES Study Investigators. “Consumption of whole grain food and its determinants in a general Italian population: Results from the INHES study”, Nutrition, metabolism, and cardiovascular diseases, vol. 29, no. 6, pp. 611–620, 2019.
16. [16] G. Maugeri, P. Castrogiovanni, G. Battaglia, R. Pippi, V. D’Agata, A. Palma, M. di Rosa and G. Musumeci. “The impact of physical activity on psychological health during Covid-19 pandemic in Italy”, Heliyon, vol. 6, no. 6, e04315, 2020.
17. [17] Anonymous. The news about a survey of Mediabrands Insight. Retrieved August 9, 2020, from https://www.marketingturkiye.com.tr/haberler/turkiyede-fast-food-sektoru/, 2017.
18. [18] Anonymous. Information of year 2019 from Turkish Statistical Institute. Retrieved August 30, 2020, from http://www.tuik.gov.tr/UstMenu.do?metod=kategorist, 2019.
19. [19] J. Sheth. “Impact of Covid-19 on consumer behavior: Will the old habits return or die?”, Journal of Business Research, vol. 117, pp. 280-283, 2020.
20. [20] World Health Organization (WHO). “World Health Organization Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean. Nutrition advice for adults during the COVID-19 outbreak”, Retrieved Juy 31, 2020, from http://www.emro.who.int/nutrition/nutrition-infocus/nutrition-advice-for-adults-during-the-covid-19-outbreak.html. 2020.
21. [21] J. L. Wilkins. “Challenges and Opportunities Created by the COVID-19 Pandemic”, Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, vol. 52, no. 7, pp. 669-670. 2020.
22. [22] J. Maniam and M. Morris. “The link between stress and feeding behaviour”, Neuropharmacology, vol. 63, no. 1, pp. 97-110, 2012.
23. [23] T. Eftimov, G. Popovski, M. Petković, B. K. Seljak and D. Kocev. “COVID-19 pandemic changes the food consumption patterns”, Trends in Food Science Technology, vol. 104, pp. 268-272, 2020.
24. [24] K. McAtamney, M. Mantzios, H. Egan and D. J. Wallis. “Emotional eating during COVID-19 in the United Kingdom: Exploring the roles of alexithymia and emotion dysregulation”, Appetite, vol. 161, 105120, 2021.
25. [25] L. Chenarides, C. Grebitus, J. L. Lusk and I. Printezis. “Food consumption behavior during the COVID‐19 pandemic”, Agribusiness, vol. 37, no. 1, pp. 44-81, 2020.
26. [26] D.Caso, M. Guidetti, M. Capasso, N. Cavazz. “Finally, the chance to eat healthily: Longitudinal study about food consumption during and after the first COVID-19 lockdown in Italy” Food Quality and Preference, vol. 95, 104275, 2022.
27. [27] A. Constant, D.F. Conserve, K. Gallopel-Morvan, J. Raude. “Socio-cognitive factors associated with lifestyle changes in response to the COVID-19 epidemic in the general population: results from a cross-sectional study in France” Front Psychol, vol. 11, 579460, 2020.
28. [28] M. Górnicka, M.E. Drywień, M.A. Zielinska, J. Hamułka. “Dietary and lifestyle changes during covid-19 and the subsequent lockdowns among polish adults: a cross-sectional online survey plifecovid-19 study” Nutrients, vol. 12, pp. 1-23, 2020.
29. [29] V. Kriaucioniene, L. Bagdonaviciene, C. Rodríguez-Pérez. “Associations between changes in health behaviours and body weight during the COVID-19 quarantine in Lithuania: the Lithuanian COVIDiet study” p. 12, 2020.
30. [30] D.C. Malta, C.L. Szwarcwald, S.M. Allard, R. Knight, D.A. Sweeney, A.D. Swafford. “The COVID-19 Pandemic and changes in adult Brazilian lifestyles: a cross-sectional study, 2020” medRxiv : Preprint Server Health Science, vol. 29, e2020407, 2020.
31. [31] V.M. “The impact of COVID-19 on the dietary habits of middle-class population in mulund” Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics, Mumbai, India, 2020.
32. [32] M. Pellegrini, V. Ponzo, R. Rosato, E. Scumaci, I. Goitre, A. Benso, et al. “Changes in weight and nutritional habits in adults with obesity during the “lockdown” period caused by the COVID-19 virus emergency” Nutrients, vol. 12, pp. 1-11, 2020.
33. [33] C. Rodríguez-Pérez, E. Molina-Montes, V. Verardo, R. Artacho, B. García-Villanova, E.J. Guerra-Hernández, et al. “Changes in dietary behaviours during the COVID-19 outbreak confinement in the Spanish COVIDiet study” Nutrients, vol. 12, pp. 1-19, 2020.
34. [34] E. Sánchez-Sánchez, G. Ramírez-Vargas, Y. Avellaneda-López, J.I. Orellana-Pecino, E. García-Marín, J. Díaz-Jimenez. “Eating habits and physical activity of the Spanish population during the covid-19 pandemic period” Nutrients, vol. 12. pp. 1-12, 2020.
35. [35] F. Scarmozzino, F. Visioli. “Covid-19 and the subsequent lockdown modified dietary habits of almost half the population in an Italian sample” Foods, vol. 9, no. 5, p. 675, 2020.
36. [36] H. Al-Domi, A. Al-Dalaeen, S. Al-Rosan, N. Batarseh and H. Nawaiseh. “Healthy nutritional behavior during COVID-19 lockdown: A cross-sectional study”, Clinical nutrition ESPEN, vol. 42, pp. 132–137, 2021.
37. [37] D. Fancourt, F. Bu, H. W. Mak and A. Steptoe. “Covid-19 social study week 14. Publish date: 25th June 2020”, Retrived from https://www.covidsocialstudy.org/results. 2020.
38. [38] Anonymous. “European Council Directive No. 2002/46/EC, relating to food supplements”, Retrieved July 20, 2020, from https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/ALL/?uri=celex%3A32002L0046, 2002.
39. [39] R. Beitz, G. B. Mensink, S. Rams and A. Döring. “Use of vitamin and mineral supplements in Germany”, Bundesgesundheitsblatt – Gesundheitsforschung – Gesundheitsschutz, vol. 47, no. 11, pp. 1057-1065, 2004.
40. [40] Anonymous. “The largest bread consumption per capita records of Guinness World Records book”, Retrieved August 21, 2020, from https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/largest-bread-consumption-per-capita. 2000.
41. [41] B. Demirtas, A. Kaya and E. Dagistan. “Consumers’ bread consumption habits and waste status: Hatay/Turkey example”, Turkish Journal of Agriculture - Food Science and Technology, vol. 6, pp. 1653-1661, 2018.
42. [42] Anonymous. “Republic of Turkey, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. Notice for the sale and consumption of bakery products to be followed during the COVID-19 pandemic”, Retrieved September 1, 2020, from https://www.tarimorman.gov.tr/Sayfalar/Detay.aspx?SayfaId=52. 2020.
43. [43] M. Rizou, I. M. Galanakis, T. M. S. Aldawoud and C. M. Galanakis. “Safety of foods, food supply chain and environment within the COVID-19 pandemic”, Trends in Food Science Technology, vol. 102, pp. 293-299, 2020.
44. [44] M. J. Butler and R. M. Barrientos. “The impact of nutrition on COVID-19 susceptibility and long-term consequences”, Brain, Behavior, and Immunity, vol. 87, pp. 53-54, 2020.