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Purpose The purpose of this study is to investigate the changes that have taken place in consumer behavior due to the fear, caused by the spread of the coronavirus, in parallel to studying how supermarket activities have changed during the pandemic. Design/methodology/approach Using qualitative methods (email interviews and document analysis) and utilizing the few statistics available for the case, the authors performed a comparison between Greece, a country that imposed an early lockdown, and Sweden, which, for its own political reasons, did not lock down, but took other measures instead. Findings Differences in consumer behavior and supermarket activities in both countries based on different mentalities and different experiences were identified. Similarities in consumer behavior, but with different motives, were also discovered. Research limitations/implications Retailing practitioners and communication executives can apply the findings to manage sales in a time of sharp, unpredictable crisis. The paper aims at integrating existing literature for the academic community and contributes with implications for practitioners and policymakers to reduce crisis risks. Originality/value This paper is one of the first to explore changes in consumer behavior caused by the spread of the coronavirus. It provides a coherent and comprehensive understanding of how consumer behavior changes under fear-crisis conditions along with future research directions.