Personality traits and grocery hoarding : the Role of Openness, Agreeableness and Neuroticism
Roos, John Magnus ; Floden, Jonas and Woxenius, Johan LU
(2026)
In International Review of Retail, Distribution and Consumer Research
- Abstract
During periods of economic and social stability, retailers rarely need to address grocery hoarding. However, in times of crises, understanding the driving mechanisms behind hoarding becomes crucial. This study investigates the relationship between consumers’ personality traits and grocery hoarding in Sweden during the beginning of Covid-19, applying the Five-Factor Model of personality (FFM), which includes the five traits Openness, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, and Neuroticism. Data were collected from a representative sample (N = 1200) via a web survey conducted between April 22 and 18 June 2020. Respondents were asked whether they bought more food and daily necessities than usual during the pandemic and the... (More)
During periods of economic and social stability, retailers rarely need to address grocery hoarding. However, in times of crises, understanding the driving mechanisms behind hoarding becomes crucial. This study investigates the relationship between consumers’ personality traits and grocery hoarding in Sweden during the beginning of Covid-19, applying the Five-Factor Model of personality (FFM), which includes the five traits Openness, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, and Neuroticism. Data were collected from a representative sample (N = 1200) via a web survey conducted between April 22 and 18 June 2020. Respondents were asked whether they bought more food and daily necessities than usual during the pandemic and the personality traits were assessed using the Big Five Inventory. Consumers with higher levels of Openness and Neuroticism, and lower levels of Agreeableness, were more likely to engage in hoarding behavior during the early stages of the Covid-19 pandemic in Sweden. By integrating these insights into strategic planning, the retail sector can better imagine and mitigate the adverse impacts of hoarding, fostering resilience in times of uncertainty.
(Less)
- author
- Roos, John Magnus
; Floden, Jonas
and Woxenius, Johan
LU
- organization
- publishing date
- 2026
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- in press
- subject
- keywords
- Consumer behavior, Covid-19, hoarding, personality, survey
- in
- International Review of Retail, Distribution and Consumer Research
- publisher
- Routledge
- external identifiers
-
- scopus:105031568459
- ISSN
- 0959-3969
- DOI
- 10.1080/09593969.2026.2632605
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- additional info
- .
- id
- 9b661625-7b65-4613-8fc3-fc94fec8ec88
- date added to LUP
- 2026-04-22 13:10:03
- date last changed
- 2026-04-22 13:10:47
@article{9b661625-7b65-4613-8fc3-fc94fec8ec88,
abstract = {{<p>During periods of economic and social stability, retailers rarely need to address grocery hoarding. However, in times of crises, understanding the driving mechanisms behind hoarding becomes crucial. This study investigates the relationship between consumers’ personality traits and grocery hoarding in Sweden during the beginning of Covid-19, applying the Five-Factor Model of personality (FFM), which includes the five traits Openness, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, and Neuroticism. Data were collected from a representative sample (N = 1200) via a web survey conducted between April 22 and 18 June 2020. Respondents were asked whether they bought more food and daily necessities than usual during the pandemic and the personality traits were assessed using the Big Five Inventory. Consumers with higher levels of Openness and Neuroticism, and lower levels of Agreeableness, were more likely to engage in hoarding behavior during the early stages of the Covid-19 pandemic in Sweden. By integrating these insights into strategic planning, the retail sector can better imagine and mitigate the adverse impacts of hoarding, fostering resilience in times of uncertainty.</p>}},
author = {{Roos, John Magnus and Floden, Jonas and Woxenius, Johan}},
issn = {{0959-3969}},
keywords = {{Consumer behavior; Covid-19; hoarding; personality; survey}},
language = {{eng}},
publisher = {{Routledge}},
series = {{International Review of Retail, Distribution and Consumer Research}},
title = {{Personality traits and grocery hoarding : the Role of Openness, Agreeableness and Neuroticism}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/09593969.2026.2632605}},
doi = {{10.1080/09593969.2026.2632605}},
year = {{2026}},
}