The $100 Coffee Paradox: Why We Skip Vacations but Splurge on Pastries
We aren’t buying food anymore; we are buying identity. This ‘Lipstick Effect 2.0’ explains why consumers skip vacations but splurge on $100 pastries. It’s a structural shift from owning luxury to performing it daily. Brands that sell only taste will die; brands that sell a version of the self will thrive.