Items
Tag is exactly
consumer
-
2020-03-17
An abundance of shortages
On March 17, 2020, I went shopping for the first time since schools and facilities closed nationwide just four days earlier. Much to my dismay, upon entering my local Target, I noticed that shelves in every part of the store were empty, however, I specifically remember shortages of canned goods, paper towels, and tissue paper. I continued to shop and collect what I could, all the while wondering what else would be in short supply in the coming days. During this time, families across the nation (including mine) began to ration food and focus on purchasing essential items when they became available. In retrospect, the mass shortage not only demonstrated how the pandemic impacted all parts of life, but it also revealed how accustomed Americans are to having various items available in abundance, which I believe is sometimes taken for granted. -
2020-05-24
HERMIT HERALD, ISSUE 32
Global death rate per 100,000 -
2021-01-21
Corona Culture Products
These pictures are a collection of Corona themed products from summer 2020 to January 2021. As you can see, there was a great variety of products and some of the most unusual appeared starting 2021. Of particular note is the coffee mug and a small wall plaque. Even the infant phrases "Social distancing" and "Healthcare worker" had crept into daily items in real stores. By fall, masks were being advertised in stores on long plastic hangers and had become just as common on random aisles as dish gloves, scrubber pads, and dryer balls. By January 2021, companies had begun to get creative with masks and shields. The final picture shows a set of children's face shields encased with the features of animal heads. This was likely to appeal to children who like to pretend to be animals. One company also began to make masks in small, medium, large, and extra large, to accommodate the variety of face shapes among the public (not pictured). The most important thing about all these products is that they show how deeply embedded Corona had become in United States culture despite the fact that it was not even a year since the virus appeared in the U.S. This indicates that companies were actively involved in both creating and maintaining a COVID consumer culture that tied what people experienced to what they could buy. Although more difficult to determine, it also shows a demand for such items both out of necessity (masks) and for leisure or fun (mug, animal shields). These items also reveal that COVID-19 was a highly unique event in that it was so marketable. No other event in the 21st century generated as much cultural/societal presence as Corona. These products should be further studied to see what better understanding about Corona can be gained from them. -
2020-12-11
Post-pandemic Reckoning
This article talks about the financial worries Canadians are facing as the pandemic and government supports lift. -
2020-09-27
How Canadian Food Buying and Cooking Habits Have Changed Due to Covid-19
This article provides additional context to the Canadian baking experience during COVID-19 by examining food buying habits of families and how they shopped prior to the outbreak. -
2020-11-02
Safe Shopping
This is an image of storefront posters designed by West Roxbury Main Streets. In recent years, there has been a push for shopping at local businesses to stimulate local economy. At first glance that’s exactly what these look like until you get to the third one. As per local and state ordinances, masks are required to be worn in public. With the holidays around the corner retail services will be in high demand and operating businesses safely is on most people’s radar. Last year if I said, “oops I forgot my mask,” that would not mean anything, and people would probably think I was crazy. Now that’s just the way life is and to shop you are required to wear a mask. Now, not everyone does this and not every business will enforce this, but some will. The #lovelocalsafely will hopefully be used so all those posts can be looked at in the future, but it also shows how much local businesses care about the customer. -
2020-03-17
Empty Pasta Shelves
When Australia first got hit with news of how devastating Covid-19, many people went onto a panic-buying frenzy, stockpiling non-perishable essential items. This is a photo taken at my local Woolworths with the pasta shelves completely gutted. Toilet paper, rice, hand sanitizer, yeast and hand soap were equally cleared out. Some stores went as far as to post signs out the front of their stores stating "NO TOILET PAPER AVAILABLE". As a young person who lives away from home, my regular diet consists of a lot of pasta (also because pasta is delicious). During this time I ended up eating a lot more vegetable soups, because ironically fresh fruit and vegetables supplies weren't particularly affected by the virus or panic buying as they wouldn't last in an impending apocalypse. It took about a month for grocery stores to re-configure their supplies, and the for the panic to die down slightly. When this first happened, the essential items were piled high front and centre at the entrance of the store: I walked in to this same Woolworths one day with a tower of 24-pack toilet pack stacked as tall as I was. This object shows how crowds can react in unexpected and instinctually self-defensive ways when threatened with a large and sweeping danger. HIST30060. -
2020-05-31
Plexiglass Barriers Are Becoming the Norm for Businesses Re-Opening During COVID-19
The photograph depicts two plexiglass barriers suspended over counters at a Domino gas station in Blanchard, Oklahoma. These barrier are suspended from wire chains connected to the ceiling. These barriers act as a "sneeze guard" much like similar system have placed in restaurants in the past. Much like CDC recommended social distancing, these barrier act to protect employees and customers while they stand closer than six feet for transactions. This particular barrier at Domino was installed specifically in response to COVID-19. Local businesses, such as Domino, Spencer's Grocery, Subway, and China House were just a few of thoes that had been observed with these plexiglass barriers installed since COVID-19. In addition, local state and federal government offices such as Gayla's Tag Agency and the Blanchard Post Office had made the transition to these plastic protective barriers as well. As many locations make the shift to re-opening, the plexiglass barrier has become a growing standard of how people do face-to-face business, even in rural communities. Personal story submitted for the Rural Voices collection. Contributed by Clinton P. Roberts, curatorial intern for Arizona State University, HST 580. -
2020-05-15
Living through Covid-19
Personal Experience Text -
2020-05-08
Life during Covid-19
Personal Experience Text -
2020-03-27
Queuing up for necessities in Lumpyngngad locality market of Shillong while maintaining social distancing on the Day 3 of Indian lockdown.
People queuing up for necessities in Lumpyngngad locality market of Shillong while maintaining social distancing on the Day 3 of Indian lockdown. -
2020-03-16
Panic Buying in Walmart
Empty shelves -
2020-03-14
Utah Attorney General warns against price gouging for limited supplies such as toilet paper and hand sanitizer
People have been buying items in bulk and some are attempting to sell them at much higher prices due to low availability