Monday 28 January 2013

What does your daily cup of coffee say about you?



Who knew that so much could be revealed from where we choose to buy our coffee?! 

I suppose that there have always been underlying assumptions about who goes to which cafe to get their daily dose of caffeine... the people who grab a quick cup of anything hot, wet, and resembling coffee from fast food chains, those who are consistent in the chain of "one on every corner" high street coffee shop they frequent, or those who make a more conscious choice about only visiting independent, premium, dare I say trendy cafes with the price tags to match. 

Now the subject has been taken to a whole new level in a new book by Harry Wallop called "Consumed: How Shopping Fed the Class System". He argues that coffee consumption, and where we choose to buy our coffee is directly linked with our identity within the class system. 

From an interview featured on the BBC's Today programme, Mr. Wallop says "I think the social anxieties now are on brands and companies; what you have in your kitchen cupboard, or where you buy your morning cup of coffee".
  


Personally, I'm not sure that the issue is so black and white (or espresso and flat white?!)... I'm sure that there are many among us that don't fit nicely into one category or another. Rather, I think that in most instances, needs must - particularly when it comes to coffee. Sometimes when you need a coffee, you need a coffee - regardless of where it comes from. 
Undoubtedly, there will be those who know what they like, and they stick with it. However, I think that it is more likely that people fluidly move from one category to another, sometimes buying from one of the BIG name high street shops, other times making a concerted effort to support independent businesses and the quality products that they have available. 


All in all, rather a deep intellectual subject to be tackling first thing on a Monday morning, before I've even had my first cup of the day! 


For more information: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-21227449