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Popular chains like Starbucksand Dunkin’are known to bring back their pumpkin spice drinks way before the first day of fall even begins, and knowing the ever-loved PSL is specifically a seasonal flavor, a lot of people have mixed feelings about its early return.
But who really declares the start of pumpkin spice season? This year, Starbucks’ PSL is reportedly coming to menus on August 22. Many otherpumpkin-spiced snacks and beverages are slated to hit grocery store shelves as early as August 1. I’ve already seen a few pumpkin goods available for purchase! Year over year, it seems like pumpkin spice’s introduction is trending earlier and earlier, and some people are fed up.
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One Reddit user who’s quite enthusiastic about the matter took to r/unpopularopinion (very fitting) to express their disappointment about early-blooming pumpkin spice products. Their comments kickstarted a whole slew of mixed responses, and it’s pretty entertaining.
“Why do stores and popular coffee shops start selling pumpkin spice flavored everything in the middle of summer?? It gets earlier every year,” they wrote. “One of the grocery stores near me already has their pumpkin spice creamer and cookies out on the shelf. By mid fall people will be sick of it and start with the peppermint mocha too early. This year I'm not buying any pumpkin spice lattes or any other fall flavored stuff until the official first day of fall 9/23. I will probably be the only person waiting but I don't care. I don't want my seasons to run together. I want my 4 seasons gosh darn it!”
Pixabay / PEXELS
And they are so valid for that. Introducing fall-themed drinks in the summer does seem a bit ridiculous, but it’s not causing any harm, as another Reddit user noted:
“It tastes good in November, and it still tastes good in august. I don’t understand how someone can start buying a latte “too early”. They buy it when they want it, it’s not like there’s an increased health risk when you drink something with peppermint before the first snow.”
“I think it is weird you try to gatekeep when people can enjoy a flavor of something lol,” another person clapped back.
Laura Chouette / PEXELS
In the thread, a few Redditors brought up the fact that customer preferences aren’t the only thing that drives the push of seasonal flavors – a lot of it has to do with sales and demand.
Pumpkin spice flavored items are seasonal on purpose,” one person said. “The ingredients to make the flavor are available year round. The artificial scarcity is what makes it sell so well when it's available.”
“If stores put it out, it’s because it’s selling,” another noted.
Valeriia Miller / PEXELS
No matter where you stand on the pre-fall launch of pumpkin spice, I think what really matters is that you enjoy it. Sure, starting things off early can take away from the special seasonality of it all, but that just means you get to sip on your fave PSL for longer! If you’re all for pumpkin spice season starting when fall actually begins, that’s fine, but it’s not productive to complain and try to take away from others’ harmless enjoyment of the pure pumpkin bliss.
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