The influence of the 2020 crisis on the demand for traditional and novel construction and building materials in Serbia

Abstract

Even though the specific COVID-19 consequences for sales have been extensively discussed, no academic research has been done on how the pandemic has affected consumer choice and purchases of construction and building products by private individuals. This research was conducted to fill in the gaps in the body of knowledge and advance understanding of how the crisis has impacted wages, market prices, and material usage in the construction industry in a developing country. The data are collected through the use of a questionnaire survey. The respondents shared their experiences between the period before 2020 and after the beginning of the crisis up until the end of 2022 and showed that purchases of these products decreased during the lockdown and afterward. The obtained results were analyzed using statistical tools, namely frequencies, descriptive statistics, and constructs. This study reveals a high interest in using novel materials but also a desire to be more informed on the details and their potential benefits. The results present a first of- a-kind approach that will help further development in this branch of the industry by following the needs of potential private customers in a developing country. Further studies would need to include not only contextual but also personal factors that influence environmentally friendly choices.