‘Treat culture’ is a term that’s been bandied about a fair bit by the mainstream media over the last few years. Typically, it’s in the context of younger generations’ suggested inability to stop splurging on everything from cult skincare products to aesthetically pleasing drinks (Erewhon’s $20 smoothie, anyone?), but dig a little deeper and it’s clear that there’s more to the trend than meets the eye.

“What began as a meme (“treat yourself”) has morphed into a justification logic for everyday spending: the overpriced matcha, the post-breakdown candle haul, the skincare routine that’s one part ritual, one part control,” says Nikita Walia, strategy director at U.n.n.a.m.e.d Studio. “Over time, it’s evolved from a punchline into a shared coping mechanism, especially among younger consumers who’ve stopped waiting for structural relief and started constructing pleasure wherever they can find it.”

A key driver of this generational shift in how we perceive treats is the economic uncertainty staring many young people in the face now. Research consultancy Firefish’s recent report on treat culture links its origins directly to the fallout from the 2008 financial crisis and the longer-term productivity pay gap taking place across most developed economies. “You have this immediate sense of, ‘I’m not getting rewarded for my hard work’, but then you have this lifetime sense of, ‘I’m not going to get rewarded for my hard work in the way my parents’ generation did’,” says Susie Hogarth, the consultancy’s head of cultural strategy.

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