The number one product that US consumers enjoyed purchasing during the pandemic was food, according to a study on the Multicultural Consumer conducted by The Conference Board and funded by a grant from General Mills. Among various goods that were purchased in 2Q 2021, 81 percent of all respondents reported that food was the item that they “enjoyed” or “greatly enjoyed” buying.

Food was the glue that held many families together as they weathered the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. Food gives people joy and comfort and helps foster ties between people. Food made Asian and Latino shoppers, in particular, feel connected to their culture. For these respondents, food also served as a powerful personal identifier. Moreover, food was a popular item for charitable donations amid the pandemic across different types of shoppers and households of various sizes, addressing heightened concerns about food security, but also displaying strong communal values.

Companies can capitalize on the emotions that food evokes by positioning items in this category as relationship builders, connectors, and feel-good items in advertising, on in-store displays, and on packaging. Moreover, firms can highlight such emotional aspects of food in addition to quality, taste, and functional benefits.

Access the full study here: The Multicultural Consumer: Attitudes, Behaviors, and Shopping in the Pandemic Era.