Food Security Amid Natural Disasters and Geographic Impacts: A Study of the 2017 Hurricane Harvey's Effect on U.S. Retail Baby Food Markets.

The research analyzes the influence of Hurricane Harvey on baby food demand, emphasizing its surge amid the disaster and the subsequent spatial variations in Texas counties. By employing Nielsen retail scanner data and a Bayesian spatial Durbin error model, the study exposes the differential impacts of the disaster on consumption patterns. Pre-disaster demand, predominantly shaped by socioeconomic factors and store types, was significantly transformed during the disaster with an increased preference for the Gerber brand and milk formula. Post-disaster resilience was marked, albeit with persistent effects of the hurricane. Unveiling crucial spatial spillover effects, the research underscores the interconnectedness of consumer behavior in crisis scenarios. These findings serve as a foundation for the baby food industry stakeholders in the development of disaster response strategies.