Changes in brazilian dairy consumption in the early stage of covid-19 pandemic: an analysis based on the nova classification

The uncertainty caused by COVID-19 pandemic has impacted people’s habits in many ways. Understanding the effects of the pandemic on food consumption becomes essential for industries, policymakers, researchers, and interested people. This paper investigates how the early stage of COVID-19 pandemic changed the consumption of dairy products in Brazil. Estimates show that the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on dairy consumption in Brazil are aligned with the most recent Brazilian food classification (NOVA). With a few exceptions, the pandemic increased (decreased) the probability of increasing (decreasing) the consumption of minimally processed and processed dairy products, as well as dairy culinary ingredients. For the ultra-processed, the probability of increasing consumption was significant for indulgent products and those used in culinary recipes. Wealthier families could maintain or increase their well-being regarding dairy consumption, while lower-income families needed to reallocate their budget, which reinforces the importance of public policies in times of uncertainty.