Global crises reshape household food habits, major review finds

A cross-country analysis by Corvinus University of Budapest shows that pandemics, financial downturns, geopolitical conflicts and food-price shocks trigger distinct shifts in consumer behaviour — from stockpiling and trading down to reliance on local substitutes and online purchasing

Pandemics, geopolitical upheaval and financial downturns leave markedly different signatures on household diets, with families changing what they buy, how much they spend and where they source their food depending on the crisis at hand, new research shows.

The analysis, conducted by Corvinus University of Budapest, draws on 112 studies from nearly 70 countries to map how four categories of economic shock — disease-related, financial, geopolitical and food-price shocks — alter consumer behaviour. Although familiar patterns recur, including stockpiling, trading down to cheaper goods and turning to local or online suppliers, the pace and character of these adjustments differ sharply between crises.

Disease outbreaks provoke the fastest response. At the outset of events such as COVID-19, households react instinctively: cupboards are filled, items with long shelf-lives are prioritised and demand spikes well beyond normal levels. As uncertainty settles into routine, behaviour becomes more measured. Online grocery shopping accelerates, and households adopt more careful use of food they already have.

Financial shocks take longer to filter into consumption but tend to reshape it more durably. During recessions, families adapt to tighter budgets by switching to inexpensive brands, reducing discretionary food purchases and accepting lower product quality. These changes persist as incomes recover, the researchers found.

Geopolitical conflict exerts its influence through inflation and supply chain strain. The Russia–Ukraine war, cited in the study, distorted the availability and price of key commodities, pushing consumers towards domestic substitutes when imported goods became harder to obtain or prohibitively costly.

Food-price shocks — driven by global market pressures, domestic policy shifts and supply chain disruption — inflict the heaviest burden on low-income households. Families confronted with rising prices cut purchases, trade down to the cheapest available options or increase their reliance on home production. The authors argue that these dynamics intensify poverty and welfare losses, underscoring the need for policies that can withstand sharp swings in price and supply.

In the report, Zalán Márk Maró, lead researcher and Assistant Professor at Corvinus University, said: “Targeted support – such as food aid, cash transfers, or free school meals – can help protect vulnerable groups in the short term. In the long term, investments in domestic agriculture, support for local producers, and diversifying supply chains are more effective, as these steps improve the resilience of the food system.”

The study contends that governments must tailor their interventions to the type of shock they face, combining immediate relief measures with structural reforms that strengthen domestic production and broaden supply routes.

The findings were published in Trends in Food Science & Technology.

READ MORE: ‘In defence of a consumer-led economy‘. Long-term prosperity lies in open markets, technological progress and global competition, not in the preservation of declining jobs, writes Harry Margulies. Governments should channel resources into retraining and adaptation rather than protectionism.

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