Author(s): Venkata Ramana J., Nasika Shamini andTangirala Sai Nikhil
Our target to be reached through this research to measure the impact of the strength of electronic rumours circulating through social networking sites on the demand of the consumer for foodstuffs in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. For which purpose, analysis has been made for the dimensions of both electronic rumours and social networking sites, in addition to the demand for foodstuffs in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Besides, based on the field study using the questionnaire that has been distributed to a specific sample consisting of 394 consumers using one of the social networking sites, the study demonstrated the existence of a statistically significant effect of the electronic rumours on the consumer demand for foodstuffs in light of such pandemic. More to the point, this study attributed that effect to three factors pertaining to the nature of the electronic rumours and the means of their distribution, in addition to factors relating to the consumer personality, and other factors associated with the environmental conditions created by the pandemic in terms of economic, social and psychological aspects. Furthermore, amongst the most important of such factors, we uncover: the relative importance of rumours with regards to the consumer, and the degree of ambiguity that distinguished the crisis period about the measures taken by government to cope with the crisis, along with the degree of credibility and confidence that the consumer allocates to those rumours, in addition to the spread of anxiety and stress resulting from the crisis in question.