Covid-19-pandemins påverkan på människors beteende vid inköp av livsmedel : En kvalitativ studie om covid-19-pandemins påverkan, som en situationell faktor, på inköp av livsmedel via e-handeln istället för fysiska butiker

Sammanfattning: The Covid-19 pandemic, as a health and economic crisis, has significantly affected consumers, businesses and industries in all parts of the world. In this study, the aim was to investigate how situational factors, the covid-19 pandemic, affected consumer behavior regarding food purchases via e-commerce instead of physical stores. This has been done through a qualitative method in the form of 15 semi-structured interviews that have taken place via the Zoom program. The study sample consisted of a combination of both a goal-directed and convenience sample, where the authors chose the interviewees based on their circle of acquaintances and based on three different criterias, (1) the interviewees live in either the Salem or Södertälje municipality, (2) the interviewees need to be at least 18 years old to participate in the study and (3) the interviewees must have purchased food via e-commerce after the emergence of the covid-19 pandemic. The study's question is: How has the covid-19 pandemic affected consumers over the age of 18 in Södertälje and Salem municipalities when buying food, from shopping in physical stores to shopping via e-commerce? The authors analyzed the empirical data with regard to the study's theoretical frame of reference. The results of the study showed that the situational factor, the covid-19 pandemic, has been a contributing force in a change in consumer behavior when purchasing food starting from physical stores to e-commerce. This has been demonstrated by the fact that the interviewees' subjective norm, attitude and evaluation of alternatives have been influenced by the situational factor. Some trends have also been found in the empirical study, where one of the trends concerns the perceived behavioral control, which has been shown to have the opposite effect. Post-purchase evaluation in The Consumer Purchase Decision-Making Process has been shown to be for the most part positive in the interviewees answers and finally, WOM-communication has had an impact on consumer behavior inconnection with the impact of the covid-19 pandemic.