Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Consumer Demand for Organic Food Products

Abstract The COVID-19 pandemic has had a major impact on consumer behavior and patterns of food consumption. This study looks at how the pandemic has affected Baramati, Maharashtra, consumers' desire for organic food items. A random sampling technique was used to choose a sample of 200 respondents. Structured questionnaires were used to gather data, and one-sample t-tests, paired t-tests, Pearson correlation, and descriptive statistics were used for analysis. Results show that the pandemic has significantly increased the frequency and cost of purchases of organic food products, primarily due to the perception of health risks. Additionally, customers' preferences and purchasing habits have changed to favor safer and healthier food options. The study emphasizes the significance of health consciousness in influencing customer decisions and offers useful information to organic food manufacturers, merchants, and legislators to effectively handle changing consumer demand in post-pandemic situations.