The COVID-19 pandemic has changed our daily lives. We have all had to adapt to the so-called “new normality.” In the research, the authors focused on checking recent changes in buying habits of consumers purchasing sports and leisure products. They found that the purchasing frequency decreased during the pandemic. An important increase is observed in the use of online stores, and the share of those purchasing sports and leisure products spontaneously has decreased. Consumer buying habits were most negatively affected by government restrictive decrees. As evident from the research, the epidemic has caused significant changes in consumer buying habits, and its impact and changes will become even more visible in the coming period of uncertainty for all, with almost no possibility to influence the changing conditions, only trying to adapt, at least partially, to “the new reality.”
TopIntroduction
On March 11th, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO, 2020) declared the pandemic of highly transmissible coronavirus disease COVID-19, signalling its global spread. Since then, the rapid worldwide outbreak of the new coronavirus has triggered an alarming global health crisis. Governments of several countries have taken measures that dramatically affect the daily life of the society. To slow down the transmission and spread of the coronavirus, the public health tactics of “social distancing” has been widely applied. Regions and even countries have been entirely locked down (ranging from contact limitations to full curfews); schools, universities, sports and public facilities are shut down; and public events (including sports matches, concerts and even marriages) are currently prohibited in most countries. These measures not only affect the daily life of the population, but have also led to significant economic consequences in economies around the world (Kraus et al., 2020).
Governments have set severe restrictions on companies in various industries, mandated social distancing and health protection policies (del Rio-Chanona et al., 2020). Whereas demand in industries such as healthcare has skyrocketed, demand in industries such as hospitality industry, air transportation and tourism has evaporated (Kraus et al., 2020).
At the same time, many industries face supply-side issues, as governments curtail the activities of non-essential industries and workers are confined to their homes. Businesses therefore need to contend with a number of challenges, including the implementation of required health protection measures, reduced production and demand, supply chain disruptions. This situation calls for academic research providing companies with valid strategies on how to cope with the challenges of the COVID-19 crisis (Kraus et al., 2020).
Sport is a major contributor to economic and social development. Its role is well recognised by Governments, including in the Political Declaration of the 2030 Agenda, which reflects on “the contribution sports make to the empowerment of women and of young people, individuals and communities, as well as to health, education and social inclusion objectives.” (United Nations, 2020).
COVID-19 has been significantly related to sport and exercise: sports events have contributed to the virus spread; control measures such as lockdowns and closures of gyms, stadiums, pools, dance and fitness studios and other sport facilities have altered our exercise behaviours. Many individuals are therefore not able to actively participate in their regular individual or group sporting or physical activities outside their homes. Under such conditions, interest in purchasing sports and leisure products for home use has increased. Major sporting events, including the Tokyo Olympics, have been cancelled or postponed. Athletes are particularly affected by COVID-19. Team training is impossible, outdoor training has been prohibited by some countries, and consequently certain athletes such as swimmers, cyclists and team athletes may suffer large detraining effects. This shall cause inequalities between athletes in different countries depending on whether or not the outdoor training is allowed and is having a greater impact on human health and the global economy than any other health crisis in the last 100 years.
The aim of this paper is to present trends in consumer behaviour when buying sports and leisure products, regardless of the fluctuations during COVID-19 pandemic.
The COVID-19 pandemic has fundamentally changed the world as we know it. People are living differently, buying differently and in many ways, thinking differently. Consumers across the globe are looking at products and brands through a new lens.