Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the food industry

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The COVID-19 pandemic affects the global food industry as governments close down restaurants and bars to slow the spread of the virus. Across the world, restaurants' daily traffic dropped precipitously compared to the same period in 2019.^[1] Closures of restaurants caused a ripple effect among related industries such as food production, liquor, wine, and beer production, food and beverage shipping, fishing, and farming.^[2][3][4]

The issues were particularly disruptive in industrialized areas where large proportions of entire categories of food are typically imported using just-in-time logistics.

The pandemic also accelerated existing trends within the restaurant sector, particularly the adoption of technology for enhanced customer experiences. Mobile apps for ordering and reservations, QR code-based menus, and data analytics for personalized marketing gained prominence. ^[5]

In June 2020, the United Nations warned that the world was facing the worst food crisis in half a century due to the recession caused by the pandemic.^[6]