Introduction

Food is essential to our health and the planet's overall health, as the current food consumption
and production practices can have significant environmental effects. In contrast, natural disasters
such as COVID-19 can alter the food system and our relationship with food. The COVID- 19
epidemic had a deep impact on the Canadian frugality, leading it into a recession. The
government's social distancing rules had the effect of limiting profitable exertion in the country.
Companies started mass layoffs of workers, and Canada's severance rate was13.5 in May 2020,
the loftiest it has been since 1976. COVID- 19 affected consumer behaviors. In the early stages
of the epidemic, Canadian grocery stores were the point of large- scale fear buying which led to
numerous empty shelves.
Motivation during COVID-19
Understanding human motivations are among the main goals of psychology's founders and
theorists until today. The basic idea behind this theory states that "people aren't happy or
satisfied unless their requirements are satisfied" (Greenberg, 2002).
 Physiological needs: The current situation in the world has led many people to be driven
by more basic requirements than before this epidemic. Because many people's work
situations change, fulfilling their basic requirements may now be more important than
[Link], as the majority of people are on stay-at-home orders, the possibility
of exercising or doing other activities people typically do to remain physically healthy
may not be accessible at the moment. Finding innovative ways to maintain your health
could be all you have to think about now, which is okay.
 Safety needs: If you are fortunate enough not to think about meeting your medical needs
in this moment of need, you are now driven to attain the safety you deserve. For some,
based on the region you reside in and the severity of the infection, being safe and
protecting your family is the main reason you are pursuing it now, and that is the best
way to go.
 Social needs: You may be fortunate enough to have all your basic requirements satisfied.
With your current career and financial position, the current economic crisis has not
significantly affected your needs or your security needs. Most likely, you live in a region
that is not large in terms of population or disease [Link] the information you have
 gathered, you can now concentrate on ensuring that your social needs are fulfilled. In
these social distancing rules, it could not be easy to accomplish this target.
 Esteem needs: If you are lucky sufficient to be able to get your basic social and safety
requirements met in this moment of need, the next motive on the list of requirements
(according to Maslow) Maslow) can be the desire to be successful and to be recognized
by others. At this moment, such needs cannot be met since many of our society tend to
focus on the needs of their families if you are working in a place where you can have
these needs addressed by your colleagues or supervisors
 Self-actualization: According to Maslow, the need for this arises after all other needs
have been fulfilled pleasingly. Given the current situation that the majority of the country
is experiencing, many people cannot pay attention to the more important needs.
Reference Group
The COVID-19 virus has changed the way we work and lives. As a response to policies of local
and national containment, businesses, organizations, and institutions have encouraged workers to
be able to work from home in order to be secure. Work at home (WFH) began to be popular in
the first half of 2000 when technology for telecommuting began to evolve, and employees could
use WFH to reduce the need to commute and have flexibility with their scheduling and attain an
improved work-life balance. Due to in-person dining restrictions and consumers' inclination not
to dine in, many food establishments and bars have switched to delivery using contactless
technology and take-out and have made investments to improve their online sales. More than
half (50.7 percent) of restaurants and establishments that serve drinks reported they are likely or
likely to continue to use contactless delivery or pickup option. Nearly one-quarter (27.5 percent)
of the food service and bars have online sales platforms or plans to establish one.
Additionally, restaurants and establishments for drinking have also restructured their operations
to be the government's current regulations and guidelines. They have also increased their
expenditure on personal protection equipment and in implementing measures to ensure that
employees and customers are secure. Nearly all (96.0 percent) restaurants and eating
establishments have increased their expenditures on cleaning and sanitizing, while 87.8 percent
have increased spending on personal protective gear and other supplies.
Culture and consumption
An abrupt and dramatic change has been observed in the lives and habits of people, resulting in a
drastic decrease in social interaction. Physical isolation and self-dissociation have significantly
affected the lives of citizens, which impacted the habits of eating and daily behaviors.
Two main influences can be attributed to the quarantine: staying at home (a combination of
digital-education smart working, smart work, and a reduction of exercise outside and gym-based
activities) and stocking up on food because of the limitations on food shopping. Furthermore, the
interruption of routine work that is caused by the quarantine can cause the feeling of boredom.
This results in higher consumption of energy. Additionally, listening to or constantly reading
about COVID-19 in the media is stressful. Stress can lead people to overeat food items,
particularly comfort foods with high levels of sugar, described as "food craving" Foods,
particularly those high in simple carbohydrates, can reduce stress since they stimulate serotonin
production, which has an effect that improves mood. Nevertheless, this craving effect is related
to the food's glycemic indices, which are linked to a higher likelihood of developing obesity and
cardiovascular illnesses, above chronic inflammation. It has been proven to increase the
likelihood of more serious complications of COVID-19.
This new condition can make it harder to maintain a healthy and diverse diet and a consistent
exercise routine. For instance, having limited access to grocery stores could cause people to a
reduction in the intake of fresh food, including fruits and vegetables, as well as fish, to more
processed foods, like convenience foods, junk food snacks, ready-to-eat cereals that tend to
contain high levels of sugars, fats, and sodium. Additionally, emotional and psychological
responses to the COVID-19 epidemic could increase the chance of developing eating disorders.
References:
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Prentice Hall
2. Southwick, S. M., &Charney, D. S. (2012). Resilience: The science of mastering life’s
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3. Statistics Canada. (2021). Table 14-10-0220-01 Employment and average weekly
earnings (including overtime) for all employees by industry, monthly, seasonally
adjusted, Canada [Data table]. [Link]
pid=1410022001
4. Statistics Canada. (2021). Table 33-10-0304-01 Canadian Business Counts, with
employees, December 2020 [Data table].
[Link]
5. Statistics Canada. (2021). Table 36-10-0434-01 Gross domestic product (GDP) at basic
prices, by industry, monthly [Data table].
[Link]
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