Influence of Consumers' Sanitary Practices on Purchasing and Dining-out amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic
Glennen Y. Zamora | Ryan O. Tayco | Ma. Leroz P. Rizada
Discipline: health studies
Abstract:
Food safety has become increasingly important during the COVID-19 pandemic, with heightened
concerns about food security in Asia and the Pacific. This study aimed to analyze consumers' sanitary
practices while shopping and dining out during the pandemic, utilizing a descriptive method with a
correlational technique. The researchers employed a convenience sampling technique, gathering data from
258 respondents. The survey, conducted among those affected by the pandemic, revealed that respondents
strongly agreed they adhered to proper food safety measures when shopping at grocery stores and dining
at restaurants. The majority of respondents were female college graduates employed in the private sector.
The respondents also strongly agreed that they followed appropriate eating practices in terms of attitudes,
subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, and intentions. Interestingly, the study found no significant
correlation between the socio-demographic profiles of the respondents and their attitudes and behaviors
related to shopping and dining out during the pandemic. This suggests that people were taking necessary
precautions regardless of their background. Moreover, the findings indicated that respondents with higher
food safety attitudes and practices were more likely to adhere to those practices while shopping and dining
out during the pandemic. This highlights the importance of promoting food safety measures consistently
across different demographic groups to ensure public health during such crises.
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