Written By: Longjam Dineshwori | Updated : June 23, 2022 2:39 PM IST
If you're trying to control impulsive buying, then avoid drinking coffee before shopping. Because a new study has revealed that caffeine consumption impacts what you buy and how much you spend when shopping.
The study, led by the University of South Florida (USF), found that shoppers who drank a cup of caffeinated coffee prior to shopping spent about 50 per cent more money and bought nearly 30 per cent more items than shoppers who drank decaf or water.
Published in the Journal of Marketing, the study highlighted the increasing trend of adding coffee bars near the entrances of retail stores.
According to lead author Dipayan Biswas, the Frank Harvey Endowed Professor of Marketing at USF, caffeine consumption leads us to a higher energetic state, making us lose our self-control to impulsive buying.
"Caffeine, as a powerful stimulant, releases dopamine in the brain, which excites the mind and the body. This leads to a higher energetic state, which in turn enhances impulsivity and decreases self-control. As a result, caffeine intake leads to shopping impulsivity in terms of higher number of items purchased and greater spending," he said, as quoted by Science Daily.
The research team conducted three experiments by setting up an espresso machine at the entrance of retail stores, a retail chain and home goods store in France and a department store in Spain.
Upon entry, shoppers were provided either a cup of complimentary caffeinated coffee (containing about 100 mg of caffeine) or decaf or water. The researchers then checked the receipts of the shoppers when exited the stores. They found that compared to those who drank decaf or water, caffeinated individuals purchased a significantly higher number of items and spent more money.
Surprisingly, caffeine consumption also impacted what types of items the participants bought. Shoppers who drank caffeinated coffee bought more non-essential items, such as scented candles and fragrances, than the others.
The researchers also found similar impact of caffeine consumption during online shopping.
The team set up a fourth experiment in a lab, including 200 business school students. They participants were divided into two groups, one group consumed caffeinated and the other decaffeinated coffee, and asked to pick items from a preselected list of 66 options for purchasing.
It was found that caffeinated students picked more items considered to be impulsive purchases, such as a massager, while the decaffeinated group selected more practical items, such as a notebook.
Biswas noted that while moderate caffeine intake can have positive health benefits, there can be unintended consequences of being caffeinated while shopping.
Hence, the researcher suggested that consumers who trying to control impulsive spending should avoid consuming caffeinated beverages before shopping.
