Effect of COVID-19 Pandemic on Animal-Source Food Consumption in Turkey

Abstract

In this study, before and during COVID-19 pandemic food consuming habits of people living is seven regions of Turkey were examined and it was investigated how this findings change depending on such demographic characteristics as people’s gender, age, education level, marital status and average monthly income. Surveys were conducted on 800 people across Turkey via the internet, and the results were tested with non-parametric test methods in terms of whether there was any significance difference between dependent and independent groups. At the same time, the factors that will affect the consumers' consumption of these products in the future were analyzed by the method of regression trees. A significant difference was found between the consumption frequencies of meat-type foods before and during COVID-19 among consumers. It was found that daily consumption of yoghurt increased too much during the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the results of regression tree analisys average monthly income was found is the most affecting factor the consumers' preference of these products in the future. In the study, it was determined that at the zoonotic infection knowledge levels, most of the participants did not give up their food habits at the time of the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, it was determined that they did not give up their consumption of animal-based food.  Finally, it is recommended people to be conscious consumers and that necessary studies should be carried out to reduce their anxiety in any pandemic.