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IJCHM 18,1

Scottish cafe society: contemporary consumption issues and lifestyle identities

Bernadette Scott
Caledonian Business School, Glasgow Caledonian University, Glasgow, UK
Abstract
Purpose The purpose of this research is to provide a qualitative insight into contemporary issues of consumption and associated lifestyle identities within the branded coffee house sector in Scotland. Design/methodology/approach Based on summary case ndings, the ethno-methodological approach has provided a consumer-based focus via the use of narratives which have helped to build pictures on routine aspects of this social phenomenon for analysis. Findings The study has highlighted a number of emergent issues and patterns pertinent to this popular sector as it inltrates Scottish society. The addictive mix of quality products, sophisticated packaging, high levels of personal service with added social and environmental scruples have led to phenomenal growth in the postmodern Scottish urban landscape. Scottish consumers has become daily devotees to the designer cup with 83 per cent claiming that this type of consumption is fuelled by lifestyle considerations. Research limitations/implications Fieldwork was facilitated by nominated access in four branded operations across four Scottish cities. Controlled conditions were employed to facilitate generalization with further research desirable over a wider timeframe to allow evaluation of potential relationships between gender, geography and usage patterns. Practical implications Implications for the ubiquitous Scottish public house are clear in that there is evidence of competition with the branded coffee sector in terms of share of discretionary leisure spend. This, coupled with the apparently increasing feminization of social space with its preference for clean, healthy and positive lifestyle choices as opposed to the negative, predominantly male dominance of Scottish pub culture, indicates potential decline and further gender segregation at a time when companies are trying to involve the family more in the public house market. Originality/value This paper will be of interest to anyone who has pondered life over a cup of designer coffee in or from a branded outlet and wondered whatever one did before the advent of this US-led revolution which people have adopted and adapted as their own brand of cafe culture. Keywords Coffee, Culture (sociology), Consumption, Lifestyles, Hospitality services, Scotland Paper type Research paper

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International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management Vol. 18 No. 1, 2006 pp. 60-68 q Emerald Group Publishing Limited 0959-6119 DOI 10.1108/09596110610641984

Introduction The cosmopolitan Scottish urban landscape is one dominated by the products of contemporary leisure consumption. According to Visit Scotland (2005) worth almost ve thousand million pounds in terms of tourism leisure spend in 2002. Within this vast leisurescape, fuelled by changing consumer lifestyles, the branded coffee house has cropped up on almost every available high street corner, even taking space in areas not primarily concerned with the provision of hospitality services (e.g. banking, travel agencies, book shops etc). This exploitation of exible and sophisticated marketing approaches has facilitated mass inltration of the Scottish market place, hooking the consumer on quality branded products with high levels of service within acceptable social and environmental parameters. This coupled with the American media inuence

on acceptable customs, products and practices has enabled the adoption of an almost staged authenticity (MacCannell, 1973) like phase in this type of replicated service provision and facilitated the growth of contemporary Scottish Cafe Culture offering the tourist and public alike a daily x of easily accessible preferred branded products in comfortable, familiar surroundings. Therefore the doing coffee becomes almost as important as the daily need for the caffeine itself, with consumers buying into semiology and representation which reinforces their lifestyle choices to both themselves and onlookers, the branded coffee consumption being the signier (Barthes, 1967 cited in Culler, 1981). This paper aims to provide a qualitative overview of pertinent consumer consumption issues within the branded coffee house in Scotland and examines the link to lifestyle identity within a wider post-modern cultural context. Branded coffee house: Scottish consumption perspectives The rise of the branded coffee house in Scotland mirrors the phenomenal global growth which has taken place in recent years, dominated by American inuences, concepts and market forces. The extent of cultural inuence is underlined when we realise that areas not historically accustomed to consumption of coffee on any level are witnessing huge increases. For example, 12 years ago in Asia it was almost impossible to access a quality coffee product, now it has become a daily necessity in the domestic forum following the increase in new branded coffee outlets (Smith, 1999). This is accepted as symptomatic of USA led post-modern expansion and the wholesale exportation of standardised retail concepts to an international marketplace, leading ultimately to a global homogenisation of consumption practices and patterns as part of the wider social shift. This USA style domination of the standardisation process can allow companies to thrive under new market conditions in the international arena, and also be privileged enough to dictate rather than engage in learning via the customisation of the process itself (Sternquist, 1997). The resultant cultural erosion and homogenisation of social norms for the host nation can result in a state of dependency according to Strinati (1999), which is reinforced with consumers being constantly fed by mass communication and media images. Post-modern work and lifestyles demand convenience, comfort and the mass consumption of popular culture and the branded coffee house perfectly facilitates the perpetuation of all three aspects. Pursuit of mass consumption and all that is service driven has allowed popular culture to ourish in UK Cities. Featherstone (1991) argues that almost anything can become a representation in the city context, once it becomes a theme. This symbolism can easily be applied to the growth of branded coffee products due to the images and signs associated with branding themes and the products themselves which have nostalgic and emotional qualities, packaged as authentic fuelling huge consumer demand for brand association. The cup itself becomes a fashion statement with lifestyle connotations. Positive reinforcement of consumer choice from popular media images and lifestyle statements around the act of doing coffee in the Scottish branded coffee house has built on the early origins of individually owned outlets by the Italian immigrants of the 1950s. The American inuences have produced a resurgence of the concept of a Scottish cafe culture with todays Scots demanding the sophisticated products just as their USA counterparts (Contini, 1999). Four major branded coffee outlets in Scotland are Starbucks, Costa Coffee, Coffee ` Republic and Pret-a-Manger. Dedicated to expansion and continued internationalisation

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of their concepts and missions, centred on high quality products and service, good labour conditions and highlighted environmental concerns. The lure of association with these master brands and their images satisfy and indeed fuel the contemporary lifestyle demands of the consumers who have become educated in specialist coffee and cafe society. There is no evidence to suggest that consumption and participation would involve differentiation via social standing criteria, in fact cafe society has become so part of the urban fabric in Scotland that it is evident that de-differentiation is in fact the case, with doing coffee becoming a cultural norm. When it comes to coffee, theres no doubt that familiarity breeds consumption, Smith (1999). Indeed this huge growth in consumption of the coffee house phenomenon has been second only to the rise of the mobile phone. The coffee shop market in the UK grew by 55 per cent in the three-year period 1997 to 2000 and it has been estimated that annual growth has been around 22 per cent. Expenditure growth for the years 1995 and 1999 show an increase from just 4 million to around 35 million (Millar, 1999). Market saturation has now taken place with prots reportedly falling as a result (www.bbcNews, 2002), although some companies such as Caffe Nero have continued their expansion plans in Scotland including acquisition of sites from Coffee Republic. This rise in coffee consumption as a lifestyle statement, demanding a demonstrably increasing slice of the discretionary leisure budget has the potential to contribute in the decline of the traditional British Pub (Garner, 2001). Scottish pub culture with its traditional male dominance and associated negative imagery and signs could become secondary to the branded coffee house in terms of consumer priority. Indeed, Hall (2000) argues that the growth of cafe society could be rationalised by the current feminisation of social space being witnessed today based on the premise that in general females prefer to patronise non-smoky and clean for their leisure time pursuits. In terms of emotional escapism, convenience, social acceptability issues and evident habitual pilgrimage to brand loyalty, it can be argued that it is the branded coffee house and not the ubiquitous public house which can provide the daily refuge and comfort required by Scottish Cafe Culture consumees. Research methods This paper is based on the summary ndings from four case studies achieved via nominated access from the main market leaders in the Scottish branded coffee house sector. The ethno methodological approach adopted for the study is essentially qualitative and consumer based thus facilitating analysis of social phenomena with notions of individual accountability (Potter, 1997). Primary objectives were achieved through semi-structured interviews with management and operative level personnel. Triangulation on the topics of consumption and lifestyle practices was achieved via consumer interviews and questionnaire where possible, supported by Jick (1979) in that reasearchers can improve the accuracy of their judgements by collecting different types of data bearing on the same phenomenon. Theoretical replication, geographical location and accessibility to subjects were the main criteria applied to sampling logic. Resultant transcriptions and associated narratives helped to create images of cultural realities, a management of stories within the concepts of consumer culture (Stern, 1998). The emergent themes resulting from this phenomenological approach attempt to improve understanding of the social behaviours involved when examining routine aspects of life. The perception of reality for the consumer was considered the most

important criterion, the approach therefore takes a holistic view of the cultural whole to avoid isolation of component parts (Finn et al., 2000). Data collection The study was undertaken late 2002 early 2003 and to facilitate the encapsulation of a truly Scottish urban perspective four major outlets were sampled in four Scottish Cities. Those chosen to ensure comprehensive geographical coverage were Coffee Republic in Glasgow, Pret-a Manger in Edinburgh, Costas in Stirling and Starbucks in Aberdeen. For reasons of generalisability, data collection for each case took place in comparable operations in terms of size and services offered and eldwork carried out at similar times. Due to the dual nature of service available in these operations (sit-in or take out) and for reasons of validity, consumers were approached post service before it was evident they were planning to remain and sit or leave with the products. It was conceived to concentrate only on seated consumers would affect the reliability of the results in terms of leisure and work patterns. Data analysis on uptake revealed an almost even share in terms of customer type. Case study compilation was based on the ndings at the four outlets (semi-structured management and operative level staff interviews and consumer based questionnaires lled by the researcher whilst engaging in discourse wherever access was granted (see Table I). Data collection techniques used for branded coffee shop management aimed to qualify the well publicised background and ethos of the companies in question (often used as positive branding images) and determine levels of success in the Scottish marketplace. Issues of popular consumption re products and branding including niche perceptions on the locale and common clientele typologies along with perceptions of a growing cafe culture were also examined. Information on typical backgrounds and motivations of management in this sector, including training opportunities and incentives for staff were also gained. Interviews with operational level staff aimed to investigate the type of person is currently working in the top Scottish branded coffee outlets and from this shopoor perspective, determine the value and worth of the job. Perceptions of a potential Scottish cafe culture and the importance of the brands and media inuences on the process were also examined.
Management interviews Store manager Store manager Store manager Store manager Customer interviews 12 permitted 20 permitted

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Case study 1. Coffee Republic (Glasgow) 2. Costas Coffee (Stirling) ` 3. Pret-a-Manger (Edinburgh) 4. Starbucks (Aberdeen)

Staff interviews 2 permitted,both barristas 2 permitted, both barristas

3 permitted, 2 barristas. 10 permitted 1 staff trainer 3 permitted, 2 barristas, None permitted 1 supervisor Table I. Data collection methods

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Consumer based questionnaires employed during a short one-to-one with the researcher aimed to quantify weekly usage, brand preference indicators, typical products purchased, the importance of lifestyle issues and the most important things about Scottish cafe culture for the consumer. One company (Starbucks) would not permit interaction with the consumers on the day of the visit. This was not thought to be detrimental to the validity of the conclusions due to number of respondents across other regions of Scotland and also due to the cross-referencing techniques on similar areas employed over the other areas of enquiry (store management and operational staff). The collection of these data within ethno methodical parameters allowed the formation of four cases, however it is through the process of comparative analysis of this information that facilitates wider applicability. For the purposes of this paper, the following analysis will focus on emergent consumption issues and lifestyle identity considerations pertinent to contemporary Scottish cafe culture across all four cases. Findings Scottish cafe culture consumption: lifestyle issues and identities The Scottish consumer. As previously underlined in an attempt to prevent sampling bias, subjects were approached post service before it had been determined by the researcher whether or not they intended to stay on the premises to consume or take out. This sampling logic aimed to facilitate the notion of a Scottish cafe culture which transcends the accepted leisure type consumption and associated sofa and latte imagery. The hypothesis of the main study aimed to test that the contemporary consumer of these sophisticated coffee products was buying into a coffee culture even if they indulge in take-out (brands, images, company ethos, associations, lifestyle statements etc). To concentrate only on those with time to spend on the sofas would undoubtedly skew the results in terms of validity and the ability to generalise from ndings. This is backed by this particular study which found that sit in consumers were most likely to be female, studying or unemployed and indulging in leisure activities of which this type of consumption is considered a central, but sometimes impulsive part of the experience. This reinforcement of the concept of growing female domination of social areas is conrmed by the volume of female subjects as opposed to male present in the operations at the time eldwork was carried out. This survey of 42 branded coffee house consumers revealed a response rate of 34 per cent for males, with an average age of 32 years (youngest 16 years and oldest 51), and 66 per cent for females with an average age of 27 years (youngest 16 years and oldest 54 years). Occupational information provided by subjects prove to be diverse and varied, somewhat reinforcing the notion of an emergence of a new type of Scottish cafe culture which has successfully become a leveller of social groupings. Employment titles for male subjects ranged from refuse collector, shop assistant and plant operator to computer programmer, artist and journalist. A total of 36 per cent of the female respondents were students and 18 per cent, senior management. Other categories included a nurse, a dentist, arts workers and bar staff. It appears that females have the highest representation and also the youngest average age, below 30 years, with the majority not being involved directly in professional employment. Brand loyalty was important to 31 per cent of all respondents and the main reasons cited that they loved the quality of the products and that familiarity was important

(they liked what they know). A total of 26 per cent stated that they felt that the brand images (packaging, advertising etc) made a statement about themselves to the outside world in terms of status or fashion. Another 31 per cent stated that sociability is one of the most important things about Scottish cafe culture. A total of 52 per cent felt that convenience was a priority and 50 per cent claimed that quality when purchasing goods of this nature was a major consideration. A total of 47 per cent of respondents felt that location was important to them when buying brand coffee to go which corresponds with the ndings on convenience issues and indicates that whilst ease of access is an important factor in the consumption of these products, for others it may be simply an impulsive decision under a situational guise. A total of 58 per cent of the sample did not remember buying coffee in this format before the advent of the branded coffee house. Coffee drinkers in the past reported on making it at work or they used small, local family run cafes. A total of 81 per cent felt quite positive that staff friendliness was a major deciding factor when choosing a branded coffee product The average spend per visit was 3.66, with many respondents claiming to visit at least twice per week. The most popular products consumed in Scotland are lattes, cappuccinos or hot chocolate (milky drinks), with tray bakes and white bread baguettes etc. the biggest selling foods. The average spend per week on licensed premises was reported as 29.44 per subject, however only 59 per cent of the sample frequented these places. This indicates that expenditure on branded coffee on a weekly basis can make up as much as 25 per cent of expenditure on traditional pub culture for those who partake. Indeed some consumers reported that for health/tness reasons they are limiting their alcohol intake and therefore have more to spend in a positive atmosphere such as the branded coffee shop. Coffee house staff perceptions on consumption in Scotland. As previously outlined both managerial and operational level staff interviews were carried out to inform on areas such as consumption issues and potential for the existence of cafe culture in Scotland. Coffee companies unanimously offer better working conditions, hours and good incentives for their employees. Flexibility means that operational level workers can pursue other interests (typically, higher education) whilst working within the branded coffee house environment which they broadly describe as dynamic, fast moving and fun. Staff members all agree that they are selling an addiction, something with is habitual and a part of everyday life for many people and although they offer an array of products, Scotland has particular cultural issues when it comes to tastes and diets that inhibit the wider take-up of new culinary experiences. One manager stated that the most popular coffee in Australia is the long black. Here it is all lattes and people will actually refuse granary bread, stating Im not eating that . . . its too healthy! The results in this area were very clear and dominated with quotations from management stating that they prefer milk and white bread and wont change it! It is apparent that although the Scots have embraced new consumption habits in the branded coffee market, it is limited to where, how and perhaps why they do it, but does not affect the heavily inculcated dietary habits which affect the what and when factors. The most busy periods for this type of operation remain morning and lunch, not evening as portrayed in popular US sitcoms. Again, reinforcing the habitual issues associated with Scottish food habits and socially accepted meal periods.

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Coffee house staff report on perceptions of high level of customer loyalty to their brands, as much as seventy ve per cent in one case. It is felt that this is based on the quality of the coffee product and associated prestige/status issues. Other dominant factors which keep the Scottish coffee house consumer coming back for more are convenience, atmosphere (including aroma of real coffee beans), simple addictions and perhaps the reinforcement of the company ethos in terms of endorsement of policies on fair trade, community awareness, product purity etc. Cafe culture and lifestyle statements. A total of 83 per cent of the consumer respondents stated that lifestyle issues and associations were important to them and that they made purchasing decisions accordingly. This was backed by 100 per cent of the staff sample who felt that the branding image is a major factor in this area with customers buying into their brands and coming back for fashion and status reasons. All of the staff sample population agreed on Scotlands growing cafe culture and the importance of social issues in this area, with 90 per cent of these operational employees stating that high levels of service and sociability were why customers kept returning. The managers proposed that there may be a dual cafe culture in operation. They report a perceived difference between those who wish to purchase and go (take out) and those who want to linger and relax. Sofas were repeatedly mentioned in the dialogues and it is in this area that the managers feel that the true social aspects of the phenomenon occur, namely doing coffee. This does not have to be something they physically do with someone else, it can simply mean taking in the atmosphere of the coffee shop and chilling out, watching the world go by. Or, given the apparent importance of lifestyle considerations and brand association, it could simply be walking in the street with designer cup held out in front, signifying status and prestige for the bearer, having engaged in a quality social exchange with familiar service staff. Whatever the denition, they all feel that it has a denite place in our retailing future and that in the long term it will provide more of a social function in a cold urban setting. It was also suggested that despite the busy periods remaining traditional morning and lunch, the branded coffee house is becoming increasingly popular later on in the evenings and weekends and offers a real alternative for those who wish to do something else other than visit the pub. A total of 60 per cent of respondents felt that this type of social behaviour is increasingly posing a threat to Scottish pub culture,. This correlates with the consumer ndings on increasing health awareness and the contemporary drive to reduce alcohol unit intake on a weekly basis. Whatever the reasons for this growing cafe culture in Scotland, the American inuence cannot be understated. One hundred per cent of respondents in the employee category cited this as an important factor in the current coffee house boom and US media shows were mentioned as important inuences. Most importantly, it seems that cafe culture is not just something that happens in the afternoons (when it is quiet). The high levels of service and social interaction with staff and the non-verbal communications provided by the take-out disposables also have an important function to play in Scottish cafe culture. Conclusions Contemporary Scottish consumers are currently embracing a new form of Scottish cafe society, centred on sophisticated high street brands and service concepts. This form of popular consumption is fuelled by the lifestyle considerations, which 83 per cent of the

sample considered important to them. The products consumed and associated brand-images can be called status or fashion statements and this is undoubtedly affecting purchasing behaviour in this sector. The Scottish bestsellers are culturally sensitive, typically hot milk based drinks and white bread products. There is a general resistance to try new products as borne out by other research in dietary and nutritional studies pertinent to the area. The impact of American media inuence cannot be denied, with all respondents agreeing that the cultural shift in Scotland is based mostly of the inltration of these popular images. The branded coffee house seems to be replacing the traditional pub in media representation and associated popular culture and new expenditure on these sophisticated coffee brands is seriously competing with the public house for the publics disposal income. The data analysis has highlighted some emergent patterns in contemporary consumption within the branded coffee house sector and the links with lifestyle identities are also apparent. The main ndings can be summarized as: . a high number of females utilizing these types of social spaces; . apparent de-differentiation in terms of consumer demographical representation; . brand loyalty has emerged as a signicant issue linked to notions of consumer familiarity with operations and products, but also to particular company ethos and lifestyle distinctions; . although sociability in branded coffee bars is important to the concept of cafe culture, doing coffee per se can mean being alone in a relaxed atmosphere or taking the product (lifestyle) out; . these types of outlets have introduced a new cafe culture to the Scottish market with 58 per cent of consumers never having had experience of this type of operation previously; . 81 per cent of consumers stated that staff friendliness was a crucial factor in terms of choice of outlet, which reinforces that contemporary consumers are buying more than quality products and that this may be the only or signicant piece of social interaction required to indulge in cafe culture; . spending in this sector per consumer currently stands at roughly one quarter of that spent in licensed premises on a weekly basis; and . there is a potential link between consumer perceptions of health, branded coffee bars and positive imagery as opposed to public houses, alcohol intake and negativity. These ndings are obviously time-sensitive and although the researcher spent a day in each operation, it may be a recommendation that further study could be carried out over a wider mid-week time-frame (not all companies open at the weekends). This would facilitate further examination of typical consumer patterns. Although the eldwork was carried out in a controlled manner in similar conditions to allow generalisation, it would be benecial to further quantify the relationship between gender, geography and usage patterns. Also, further studies may benet from the conclusion that the staff information gleaned correlates most accurately with that of the consumer sample. This may indicate that the operational level employees are closer

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to the true picture of consumption in a cultural sense because they have more qualitative contact with the customers on an individual basis.
References BBC News World Edition (2002), available at: news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business (accessed 13 December, 2002). Contini, M. (1999), Stirring up cafe society, Scotsman Publications, Vol. 24 No. 4, p. 7. Culler, J. (1981), Semiotics of tourism, American Journal of Semiotics, Vol. 1 Nos 1-2, pp. 127-40. Featherstone, M. (1991), Consumer Culture and Postmodernism, Sage, London. Finn, M., Elliott-White, M. and Walton, M. (2000), Tourism & Leisure Research Methods, Longman, Harlow. Garner, L. (2001), London Evening Standard, Vol. 10 No. 1, p. 36. Hall, E. (2000), US Coffee Shop Culture Stirs up the UK High Street, Haymarket Publishing, London. Jick, T. (1979), Mixing qualitative and quantitative research methods: triangulation in action, Administrative Science Quarterly, Vol. 24, pp. 602-11. MacCannell, D. (1973), Staged authenticity: arrangements of social space in tourist settings, American Journal of Sociology, Vol. 79, pp. 589-603. Millar, S. (1999), Starring roles of coffee shops in US sitcoms perk up British cafe culture, Guardian/Observer, Vol. 3 No. 2, p. 11. Potter, J. (1997), Representing Reality. Discourse, Rhetoric and Social Construction, Sage, London. Smith, J. (1999), Coffee culture ourishes, Asian Hotel & Catering Times, Vol. 2, pp. 18-24. Stern, B. (1998), Representing Consumers: Voices, Views and Visions, Routledge, London. Sternquist, B. (1997), International expansion of US retailers, International Journal of Retail & Distribution Management, Vol. 25 No. 8. Strinati, D. (1999), Postmodernism, popular culture and society: the mass media, consumption and identity, Developments in Sociology, Vol. 15, pp. 25-36. Visit Scotland (2005), Food and Tourism: Strategy, Initiatives, East of Scotland Food Forum, available at: forumeast@tldempster.co.uk Corresponding author Bernadette Scott can be contacted at: b.scott@gcal.ac.uk

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