Change in dining habits

As the Chinese mainland is returning from quarantine restrictions, another research by Nielsen indicates that a "homebody" mindset is emerging among consumers, which means health and technology will influence spending and shopping habits in the short and longer term. In this report, 89 percent of the Chinese mainland consumers expressed their willingness to buy daily necessities or fresh products online, and 80 percent said they would pay attention to healthy eating when the pandemic is over.

From "the use of serving chopsticks" to "specific eating zones for hepatitis patients in Shanghai during 1970s," Professor Gao said epidemics have been changing dining habits. She mentioned that dining habits also reflect traditional customs, cultural heritages and the way of thinking, which are difficult to change permanently.

In traditional Chinese culture, people eat together and from the same dishes, while in most Western cultures, people prefer having separate servings. It may be difficult to practice the Western way of eating in China because of the nature of Chinese dishes and the people's beliefs about togetherness.

"But we found our own way," said Professor Gao, explaining that using serving chopsticks is an alternative to having separate servings. She said that the use of serving chopsticks in China is related to the outbreak of plague in northeastern China between 1910-1911. Although the use of serving chopsticks did not continue after the plague ended but Gao said there will be some obvious changes after COVID-19.

In analyst Zhang's eyes, the novel coronavirus pandemic will make people turn from "group eating" to "separate eating," and using serving chopsticks will become common.

It might be too early to say whether the pandemic will permanently change people's dining habits, but Nielsen's report tells us that after life returns to normal, healthy eating may register higher on consumers' radars than in the past.

"People will definitely care more about the hygiene standards of restaurants, including the food itself and the environment," said Zhang, adding that catering industry should not only rely on producing "delicacies" but also on "health and safety."

"I hope the pandemic can end soon and I can dine out with my friends to try something I cannot cook at home," Ou said, however emphasizing that she will choose restaurants of higher standards.

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