A095-0012
Perceived changes in household resource consumption during the COVID-19 pandemic: Results from an online survey
Perceived changes in household resource consumption during the COVID-19 pandemic: Results from an online survey
Thursday, 10 December 2020
Poster
Abstract:
The COVID-19 pandemic has altered resource consumption patterns for critical household goods and services in the U.S. and globally, especially with the increased use of the home as the primary location for work, study, and household activities. There is thus a need to understand the nature and scale of changes in household resource consumption due to the pandemic, and how persistent households believe these changes will be. Using an online survey with 1200 respondents from the United States, this study seeks to understand how households perceive and report changes in their energy use, internet and communications technology (ICT) use, water use, transportation, and shopping patterns before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Our results indicate that most respondents anticipate a slight to moderate increase in their energy and water consumption during the pandemic, with Black and Asian American respondents more likely to anticipate an increase. Respondents report an increase in the hours spent on more energy-intensive internet activities such as video streaming and gaming, along with increases in work-related and education-related device use. Further, respondents report a significant shift from car-based commuting to working from home, with respondents who already had shorter commutes prior to the pandemic transitioning to working from home in larger proportions than those with longer commutes. Respondents reported less frequent grocery shopping and higher monthly expenditure on groceries. Further, respondents who shopped entirely in-store before the pandemic have shifted to entirely online shopping or a mixture of online and in-store shopping. Finally, a majority of respondents believe that their altered usage patterns for various household goods and services will persist after the pandemic. Together, our results provide empirical evidence for and quantification of perceived shifts in household resource consumption during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Our results indicate that most respondents anticipate a slight to moderate increase in their energy and water consumption during the pandemic, with Black and Asian American respondents more likely to anticipate an increase. Respondents report an increase in the hours spent on more energy-intensive internet activities such as video streaming and gaming, along with increases in work-related and education-related device use. Further, respondents report a significant shift from car-based commuting to working from home, with respondents who already had shorter commutes prior to the pandemic transitioning to working from home in larger proportions than those with longer commutes. Respondents reported less frequent grocery shopping and higher monthly expenditure on groceries. Further, respondents who shopped entirely in-store before the pandemic have shifted to entirely online shopping or a mixture of online and in-store shopping. Finally, a majority of respondents believe that their altered usage patterns for various household goods and services will persist after the pandemic. Together, our results provide empirical evidence for and quantification of perceived shifts in household resource consumption during the COVID-19 pandemic.