Public policies to contain the spread of coronavirus disease in Mexico could have had an effect on food purchase patterns.

The objective of the study was to assess changes in the quantity of food and beverages purchased and proportion spent on food consumed away from home during the coronavirus disease pandemic in Mexican households.

This study is a secondary analysis of cross-sectional data from the National Household Income and Expenditure Survey 2014-2020.

The study included 234,631 households with information on food and beverages purchases from 2014 to 2020.

Food and beverage purchases were classified into six categories: basic, nonbasic energy-dense foods, prepared food for consumption at home, water, milk, and sugar-sweetened beverages. In the National Household Income and Expenditure Survey 2014-2020, expenditures on food and beverages consumed away from home are not classified into any specific items but represents more than 10% of food and beverage expenditures; therefore, the analyses included the proportion of food and beverage expenditures spent on food consumed away from home.

A two-part model was used to evaluate changes in the quantity of food purchased and the proportion spent away from home during the coronavirus disease pandemic in 2020 compared with 2018, adjusting for socio-demographic variables, gross domestic product and previous survey rounds. Results are presented at the national level, by income quintile and by place of residence.

Purchases of basic food increased by 17 g/capita/day at the national level and 22.4 g/capita/day in urban areas (P < 0.001). Purchases of nonbasic energy-dense foods decreased both at the national level (–4.2 g/capita/day; P < 0.001) and by place of residence (–4.8 g/capita/day; P < 0.001 in urban areas and –2.5 g/capita/day; P = 0.001 in rural settings). Purchases of prepared food increased 16 g/capita/day (P < 0.001). In rural areas, purchases of sugar-sweetened beverages increased 7.2 mL/per capita/day (P < 0.001). For the lowest income quintile purchases of processed meat increased 2.4 g/capita/day (P < 0.001). The proportion spent on food consumed away from home decreased by –44.9% (P < 0.001).

Results of this study show that during the coronavirus disease lockdown there was an increase in basic and prepared food purchases, whereas purchases of nonbasic energy-dense foods and the proportion spent on food consumed away from home decreased. However, findings showed an increase in sugar-sweetened beverages purchases among rural dwellers and an increase in purchases of processed meat among the lowest income quintile. Various factors such as income reductions, unemployment, mobility restrictions, or increases in prices may have led the observed changes. Future research should be conducted to analyze these potential pathways.