Symposium Papers / The Environment Surrounding the Community-Based Retail Co-ops Before and After the Outbreak of the COVID-19

Abstract

This study focused on the situation surrounding community-based retail co-ops before and after the COVID-19 pandemic and considered its impact on the co-ops’ supply. The study found that the increase in the supply of community-based retail co-ops is significantly affected by the increase in the number of new members. Further, the increased use of services by existing members was also affected. Due to the state of emergency, the demand for dining out decreased, and the demand for home-cooked and prepared meals increased. Against this backdrop, the supply of food suppliers, including community-based retail co-ops, tended to increase, especially the supply of co-op home deliveries. However, the long-term problems faced by community-based retail co-ops, such as the aging of the members and the difficulty in attracting new interested in food, have not been solved. I argue that this supply is temporarily increasing due to COVID-19, which is an external factor.