Pandemic Food Purchasing: an Example on Silver Generation in the Slovak Republic

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 affected the shopping behavior of each of us. As more and more people stayed at home to limit the spread of COVID-19, it is no surprise that this new reality may have changed the way and place where people shop. Even if only time will tell whether these changes will be temporary or permanent, we can begin to observe the change in how the pandemic affects demographic shopping behavior. Many studies confirm that the silver generation is not a homogeneous group and is most affected by the pandemic. The aim of the paper is to examine the consumer habits and patterns of seniors when buying food during the pandemic in 2020. The segmentation factor is their age. The survey results confirmed that the seniors aged 50-64 are a heterogeneous group with a higher variability of responses. Due to the greater isolation and greater restriction of movement, people aged 65 and over were less variable in their responses to food purchases. The purpose of this study is to broaden the knowledge base about the attitudes and buying behavior of the silver generation during the pandemic.