Quantifying Consumer Welfare Impacts of Higher Meat Prices During the COVID-19 Pandemic

While the U.S. food system has been largely able to maintain operations and provide consumers with the variety of foods they desire since the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic began, U.S. households faced sharply higher food prices for many staple items, especially meat in 2020. In this study, U.S. households’ meat purchases at retail stores for at-home consumption during the COVID-19 pandemic are examined and compared with those before the virus outbreak.