Drinking coffee before shopping linked to people spending more money, study finds

Effect was stronger for products like scented candles, fragrances and décor item, scientists say

Drinking coffee before shopping may lead to increased spending, a new study has suggested.

The research, published in the Journal of Marketing, assessed how caffeine affects consumer spending, and if customers are prone to impulsive purchases after drinking coffee, tea, or soda at retail stores or car dealerships.

Understanding how coffee drinking influences spending is important since caffeine is one of the most powerful stimulants that is both legal and widely available, scientists, including those from the University of South Florida in the US, said.

The study found that drinking a caffeinated beverage before shopping leads to more items purchased at the store and increased spending.

The effect of coffee was found to be stronger for “high hedonic” products such as scented candles, fragrances, decor items, and massagers and weaker for “low hedonic” products such as notebooks, kitchen utensils, and storage baskets.

Researchers suspect caffeine intake has this effect on consumer behaviour since it enhances arousal, which is experienced as a state of activation and alertness that can range from extreme drowsiness to extreme excitement.

This arousal, they say, can be a positive hedonic state making one feel active, energised, and excited, or a negative hedonic state such as when one experiences tension and nervousness.

Energetic arousal, according to the study, enhances the perception of product features.

In turn, researchers say, this increases purchase intentions for hedonic products such as buttery, salty popcorn, chocolate candy, and luxury vacations.

Earlier studies had shown that consuming caffeine in the range of 25mg to 200mg enhances energetic arousal with practically no effects on tense arousal.

In the new study, researchers examined the effects of caffeine intake in the range of about 30mg to 100mg since most caffeinated beverage servings have caffeine content in this range.

They set up an espresso station near the entrance of two different retail stores in two major cities in France and outside a department store in Spain.

Half of the 300 shoppers in the study were handed a complementary cup of coffee containing caffeine and the other half offered decaf or water.

“We found that the caffeine group spent significantly more money and bought a higher number of items than those who drank decaf or water,” researchers say.

The group that consumed caffeine bought more hedonic items like scented candles and fragrances, the study noted.

“Overall, retailers can benefit financially if shoppers consume caffeine before or during shopping and that the effects are stronger for high hedonic products,” researchers say.

From a consumer perspective, they say while moderate amounts of caffeine can have positive health benefits, there can be negative financial consequences of caffeine intake.

“Hence, consumers trying to control impulsive spending should avoid consuming caffeinated beverages before shopping,” researchers wrote in the study.

“Policy makers may also want to inform consumers about the potential effects of caffeine on spending,” they concluded.