Consumer surveys conducted by The American Egg Board confirm the surge in demand attributed to panic buying occasioned by the advent of COVID-19. The most recent survey involving 1,018 interviews in late March, can be compared with the results from the beginning of the month that showed a marked increase in the purchase of eggs.
According to respondents, alternatives to shell eggs if unavailable, were egg whites, liquid egg and precooked hard-boiled egg. Frozen egg sandwiches were offered as a substitute by a third of the respondents.
Given the prevailing concerns over COVID-19 it was predictable that there was a sharp increase in the number of consumers avoiding restaurants with a proportional increase in those stating that they were more likely to cook at home. Half of the consumers had already stocked up on milk, bread and eggs. Approximately one-third of the consumers noted that they would avoid grocery stores and 20 percent had ordered restaurant-delivery during the past two weeks and 15 percent had made use of grocery delivery.
The impact of COVID-19 on food service was clearly indicated in the survey reflecting the weekend in March 22nd. Total food service industry transactions declined by one-third compared to the corresponding week in 2019. Transactions at QSRs declined by 34 percent and casual dining chains experienced a 73 percent drop in patronage. Market research company NPD estimated that 94 percent of the 660,000 restaurants in their data base experienced a drop in revenue with the advent of stay-at-home restrictions imposed in many states. Generally, all chains closed in-store dining relying on drive throughs if installed or curbside delivery.