Grocery shopping among elderly during Corona

• During the Corona-pandemic, elderly people have had to limit their physical and social contacts, and consequently adjust several of their mundane routines. In this paper, we will discuss how routines and habits connected to food purchases have changed for elderly consumers (70+) during 2020. We specifically focus on the role of digital technology in the (new) shopping practices. Previous findings regarding importance of age versus experience of online shopping and mobile shopping are contradictory. Theoretically, we draw on the concept of ‘Shopping as practice’ (Elms et al., 2016; Fuentes & Svingstedt, 2017) and the theory of social practice by Shove et al. (2012) for understanding the mundane habits and routines involved in practice of grocery shopping and how they can change. The findings are based on 35 interviews with elderly consumers in Sweden, 70 years or older. The grocery shopping practices described fall into 3 main subcategories: switching to online shopping, continuing to shop in a physical store, and acquiring help from friends and relatives. The practices have been reshaped, e.g., in terms of purchasing frequency, food range, offers, payments, ordering, and delivery options. Digital technology and digital competence are essential parts in all three, as is the meaning of independence, but how these elements interact and the type of opportunities and limitations produced vary greatly. We discuss if and how (some) reshaped and new practices become stabilized.

Subject headings

LANTBRUKSVETENSKAPER  -- Lantbruksvetenskap, skogsbruk och fiske -- Livsmedelsvetenskap (hsv//swe)

AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES  -- Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries -- Food Science (hsv//eng)

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Ekonomi och näringsliv -- Företagsekonomi (hsv//swe)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Economics and Business -- Business Administration (hsv//eng)

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Annan samhällsvetenskap -- Tvärvetenskapliga studier inom samhällsvetenskap (hsv//swe)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Other Social Sciences -- Social Sciences Interdisciplinary (hsv//eng)

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Sociologi -- Sociologi (hsv//swe)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Sociology -- Sociology (hsv//eng)

Keyword

Grocery shopping

Shopping as practice

Elderly consumers

e-stores

Corona

Publication and Content Type

vet (subject category)

kon (subject category)