This autumn celebrates the 20th anniversary of the iconic fall beverage, but its return to the Starbucks menu is less festive this year… Recent research suggests that interest in pumpkin spice latte is waning. According to NielsenIQ, sales of pumpkin-flavored things dropped 1.5% for the 52-week period ending in July, making this the second straight year sales declined. Good riddance! Pumpkin spice is awful.
First of all, PSL isn’t even pumpkin flavoured. Yes, you read that right. For the first X years of its introduction, there was no pumpkin in the syrup. Rather, the name refers to the spices normally used on a pumpkin pie. So, Starbucks; why not make a spiced latte instead? Pumpkin spice is a misleading name that directs unassuming consumers to think that yes, they should in fact be tasting pumpkin.
There’s a reason why pumpkin spice is not available all year long, unlike other popular drinks; PSL fans might like the taste, but certainly not to the degree where it is profitable for Starbucks to keep it on the menu all year long. Rather, the success of PSL can be accredited to aggressive marketing ploys and the FOMO that results. Viewing aesthetic fall pinterest feeds invariably leads you to see something of the following effect: warm palettes and a gradient of leaves; brown sweaters and coats; a cup of warm PSL. Okay, you could argue that drinking PSL feels comforting and nostalgic.
The popularity of PSL leads corporations to churn out other “pumpkin spice” products, ranging from iced lattes to muffins to Tim Horton’s “Pumpkin Spice Iced Capp”. There is little to nothing warm and comforting about drinking a cup of iced coffee slush with a drizzle of suspiciously orange “pumpkin” sauce. So there’s a reason why I’m trying to drag PSL; it was never meant to be nostalgic. Rather, if you’ve headed to the counter and chose pumpkin spice, you were most likely compelled to due to the little anxiety at the back of your mind telling you, “It’s only here for the autumn! You love how warm and comforting it is!”, rather than you actually enjoying the drink. I rest my case.