The Effects of the Covid-19 and the Economic Crises on Food Behaviors and Food Safety in Beirut, Lebanon

Abstract

Background: Lebanon is going through a major economic crisis that has caused food prices to increase by 483% between January 2021 and January 2022 (Lebanon Food Security Portal, Brief #24). Parallel to this, globally there is the Covid-19 crisis happening, affecting Lebanon as well. This crisis made governments impose lockdowns, limiting the population’s access to food. People started eating more home-cooked foods and cooking more. Both these crises happening simultaneously in Lebanon, have affected the food behaviors and food safety status of the Lebanese population. Objectives: This study aims at identifying the major food consumption behavior changes caused by the economic and Covid-19 crises in Lebanon that are causing or preventing food-borne illnesses. Methodology: An online survey was conducted taking as target population the parents of school-aged children. The survey population was drawn from parents of children attending three different Armenian schools associated with different socioeconomic backgrounds, in or around Beirut, Lebanon. The sample size was 266 households. Results: Lebanon is going through major economic and Covid-19 crises that have caused changes in food behaviors and have affected food safety. The Lebanese population, regardless of their socioeconomic situation, has been seeing and feeling the effects of these crises in their day to day life. In general, higher income households systematically reported that their food purchase and consumption practices are largely unchanged from pre-crises. Lower income households reported changes in response to crisis, including purchasing power, quality of foods… This study found significant changes in household food consumption behaviors linked to Covid-19 and economic crises. Also, throughout this study there was widespread perception that food safety has declined.