Drinking This Before Shopping Can Cause Impulsive Spending!

I knew I couldn’t have had that latte before going to Home Sense!

If you’re trying to save some money, you may want to avoid caffeine before your next trip to the mall!

According to new research published in the Journal of Marketing, sipping on coffee before shopping makes you more likely to spend more than expected – and also shop more impulsively.

It seems it can also influence the type of spending, too – as researchers found coffee drinkers splashed out more on ‘hedonic’ (AKA pleasurable) items, like holidays and expensive candles.

Those who didn’t drink coffee before shopping were found to purchase more sensible items, such as stationery and kitchen utensils.

Researchers looked at the spending habits of people who were given a drink before entering a shopping centre, including caffeinated, decaf and water.

Results found that the caffeine group spent significantly more money and bought more items than those who drank decaf coffee or water.

So if you’re heading for lunch before your next shopping trip, you may want to consider your drinks order more carefully.