Coffee chain Costa Coffee has announced it will roll out a “chatty cafe” program in more than 300 branches across the U.K.. The program aims to facilitate more human interaction in a digitally saturated world by having designated tables where people can meet and talk to strangers.
The “chatty cafe” initiative puts Costa Coffee among a group of retailers who are tackling wider issues in society’s wellbeing in addition to their core offerings. And many are doing so in a smaller, more local fashion with initiatives that support the community and give brands a supportive place in people’s lives. For example, Lidl has recently opened up a pop-up bakery for young people to discuss mental health and Co-op has launched a program encouraging employees to talk more about any mental health related issues.
Will these local social efforts simply impact shoppers sentiment or will they affect sales as well?
Contributed By: Lukas Quittan, Integer London
Image Source: Unsplash
