POST COVID -19 CONSUMPTION STRATEGIES OF MIDDLE-INCOME FAMILIES IN SOUTHWEST, NIGERIA

Abstract

This paper investigated the coping strategies adopted by middle income families in south western Nigeria in the post COVID-19 era. The specific objectives of the paper was to: discern the food consumption pattern of families, find out if there are changes in schooling of wards, deduce if there is a change in the family‘s purchasing power and ascertain the level of budgetary allocation to social engagements in post COVID-19 era. To achieve this objective a cross-sectional survey design was adopted. A sample size of 780 middle class workers in the Civil Service from capital cities in three South-Western states, Nigeria (Ikeja, Akure and Osogbo) was selected using
purposive and snowball sampling methods. Four research questions were formulated to elicit responses. An online and offline structured questionnaire was administered to elicit responses from the respondents. All data collected were analysed using the SPSS version 20 and described using percentages, means and standard deviation. Findings showed that the pandemic changed food consumption pattern of families) as they are no longer able to afford three daily meals daily even as larger percentage of income is spent on food. The purchasing power of families reduced.) Coping strategies adopted are changes in the status of schooling of wards as families could hardly afford to provide learning materials for their ward; increase in credit purchases and loan; money spent on essential foods while restricting family budget only to priority family needs. Efficient utilization of resources, cooperative/bulk purchases are amongst recommendations made.