The purpose of mall construction and design is to influence individuals to make unintended purchases. Surprisingly, people react the same way to consuming coffee when shopping. Caffeine has an impact on the items and how much a person purchases when they go shopping, according to a global study titled “EXPRESS: Caffeine’s Effects on Consumer Spending,” which was published in the Journal of Marketing.
Drinking coffee while shopping leads to impulse buying
According to Professor Dipayan Biswas of the University of South Florida (USF), caffeine is a potent stimulant that produces dopamine, which energizes the body and mind. The drink weakens self-control and increases impulsivity. In order to prevent impulse purchases, it is not recommended to drink coffee while wandering the mall.
Researchers looked into the connection between caffeine use and impulsive purchase in settings like malls and internet retailers. The experiment’s findings revealed that in comparison to the control cohort, those who drank caffeinated beverages spent 50% more money and purchased approximately 30% more things. More so, there were obvious differences in their grocery list. Those who consumed coffee spent more money on non-essential products compared to those who did not.
The same study was done on those that do online shopping, and the results were similar. Those that took caffeinated drinks made impulse purchases online, with the control group purchasing practical items. The study also established that those that took coffee moderately were more likely to engage in impulse buying.
What does coffee do to your brain?
According to Healthline, caffeine in coffee stimulates the central nervous system. Caffeine activates the membrane in the brain to produce chemicals that cause alertness, making the user feel more alert and less sleepy. Because of this, it is occasionally one of the components of medications for sleepiness, migraines, and headaches.
Earlier research shows that people who consume caffeinated beverages have a lower incidence of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. Additionally, it reduces suicide risk by almost 45%.
However, excessive use of coffee or any other caffeinated beverages is not advised since it may result in a number of health issues.
