Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/248603 
Year of Publication: 
2021
Series/Report no.: 
ISER Discussion Paper No. 1144
Publisher: 
Osaka University, Institute of Social and Economic Research (ISER), Osaka
Abstract: 
We examine how the fear of COVID-19 contagion influences consumer expenditure patterns. We show that the consumption expenditure responses to the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic are significantly heterogeneous across generations. We find that the elderly spend less than the younger generation by at least 5% as COVID-19 spread. In fact, those aged above 60 significantly decreased their spending even on food and drink products by 13%. We also find that the elderly forgo shopping in favor of the younger generation. These heterogeneous responses are likely to be due to the fear of the COVID-19 infection.
Subjects: 
COVID-19
consumption gap across generations
expenditure
fear
spending behavior
JEL: 
D12
E21
Document Type: 
Working Paper

Files in This Item:
File
Size
423.52 kB





Items in EconStor are protected by copyright, with all rights reserved, unless otherwise indicated.