Eat or what to eat: A systematic review of food consumption behaviour and responses to economic shocks

Background

In an era of frequent global disruptions, understanding consumer responses to economic shocks is more relevant than ever. This research supports resilient food policies and helps protect vulnerable populations during crises.

Scope and approach

This review investigates how different economic shocks, including financial crises, pandemics, geopolitical conflicts, and price surges, reshape food consumption behaviour across socio-economic and geographical contexts. Following the PRISMA and SPAR-4-SLR protocols, 1044 peer-reviewed articles were systematically screened from the Scopus and Web of Science databases. After applying strict eligibility criteria, 112 empirical publications were selected and thematically synthesized. The review adopted a theme-based structured methodology and constructed a conceptual typology to categorize consumer behavioural responses to economic shock types.

Key findings and conclusions

The analysis reveals that economic shocks induce heterogeneous behavioural changes, which greatly affect low-income populations. Disease-related shocks cause immediate emotional reactions, such as stockpiling, while financial and price shocks drive extended budget-conscious behaviour and dietary compromises. Geopolitical conflicts stimulate inflation and supply constraints, encouraging local substitution and adaptive strategies. A common behavioural pattern has emerged across various types of shocks: panic buying, substitution of staple foods, and growing reliance on local or online food sources. A visible diversity was observed in the methodologies used, while the application of economic theories remained limited. Developing a novel typology of shock-behaviour-policy linkages integrating empirical works with policy considerations to assess consumer adaptation. The review identifies research gaps in longitudinal and cross-cultural studies and calls for the integration of psychological and nutritional perspectives. These findings could help policymakers design resilient food systems.