Pumpkin spice lattes (PSLs) have been the lifeblood of many people around the world and a sure sign of the fall season. Many companies have followed in the footsteps of the famous Starbucks pumpkin drink and created their own autumn lineups with pumpkin spice treats. This spiced fall flavor has made its way into the crevices of every part of society. To some, it is an epidemic; to others, it’s the best time of the year – but it is certain that the orange-tinted glasses of fall hide many secrets.
It is common for pumpkin to have its own dedicated shelf in an everyday grocery store, but that is typically expected to arrive in the heart of the fall season. It was certainly a shock to walk into a local grocery store in the middle of August and encounter the smells of fall and the beloved pumpkin shelf of goodies. This year, both Dunkin Donuts and Wawa unleashed their pumpkin barrage in the middle of August and Starbucks soon followed. A shocking pattern emerges as you look farther back into the years of pumpkin. The original Starbucks PSL was released in early October of 2003, but the fall beverage has been arriving progressively earlier in the years since then.
The release of the beloved pumpkin beverage signals the beginning of fall. Starbucks may spearhead pumpkin season, but there are many other companies that also see the benefits of manufacturing early fall. This is a divisive issue between those who love PSLs and those who hate the growing impacts of consumerism.
Seeing both sides of the story, many people choose to avoid the growing problems of the “how much money can we make with this product” mindset, as opposed to the right way of “how can we make people happy with our product”. Big companies have put a huge amount of pressure on the population to buy their pumpkin products because it makes them more money, but in turn, demerit what should be a simple seasonal treat.
Once the reality of the situation is fully grasped, the disappointing nature of this simple drink becomes not-so-sweet. It is merely used as an outlet for companies to sell people already overpriced drinks while making them think they are getting something special. The reason these drinks were made twenty years ago was to bring people together over the spiced flavors of fall.
The original purposes of the season may have been lost as the blatant consumerism is wound so deeply in the experiences of fall. However, we can’t forget that this is the time of year when people come together and celebrate everything from their thankfulness to their neighbors handing out candy on Halloween. Even though consumerism may have changed the definition of fall, we can still do our best to stay true to the original merits of the season and celebrate our favorite drink.
