Percepção de risco e segurança alimentar na compra de refeições via aplicativos de entrega: o contexto da pandemia de COVID-19

Abstract

With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and the restrictions imposed to maintain distancing and contain the spread of the coronavirus, people began to avoid leaving home to buy their food and establishments had to adapt to the new situation. Food safety has become one of the concerns of consumers, considering the perceived risk of contracting the disease. Perceived risk is one of the most important aspects related to the COVID-19 pandemic, as consumption changes adapt according to the risk assessment of the situation. The COVID-19 pandemic represented a high-risk scenario involved and, although it was not directly related to food, it resulted in greater care related to food safety. Assuming that these precautions are not restricted to pandemic contexts, this work sought to investigate whether there is a perception of risk on the part of the consumer in relation to potential contamination involving food safety, regardless of the context of COVID-19. To achieve this objective, a conclusive research model was chosen, with a descriptive character and, consequently, a quantitative approach. The temporal cut used was the single transverse one, and the sample was selected from the non-probabilistic snowball method. The data for this investigation were obtained through a structured questionnaire, whose collection instrument was prepared in Google Forms and distributed via social networks. The survey questionnaire consisted of five sections. In total, 395 responses were obtained, considered valid and included in the study. Cluster and discriminant analyzes were applied. The results showed that the respondents of this research, for the most part, are concerned with care related to food safety, that they have and practice correct attitudes in relation to this care, regardless of whether the scenario is pandemic or not. And there is a smaller group of respondents who are not concerned or practice food safety care, regardless of the situation experienced. The perception of risk caused people in this group to intensify food safety care a little more during the pandemic, but as soon as the pandemic subsided, there was also a cooling off in food safety care. Given the above, it is of paramount importance that restaurant entrepreneurs, with government agencies, guide consumers in relation to food safety precautions.