Juice as Status Symbol

Just as carrying a Starbucks coffee cup has become a celebrity fashion accessory and a slung-over-the-shoulder yoga mat can signify a certain devotion to spiritual fitness, porting a clear bottle of green vegetable juice has evolved into a status symbol. Initially, the juicing market was supported mostly by people doing liquid-only cleanses, marketed as a way to rid the body of toxins and bloat. Now, more consumers are drinking juice as a meal replacement, a quick infusion of vegetables or to convey the impression of superior health and discipline.

WSJ’s Katherine Rosman reports that certain juice bottles have become status symbols, mostly because of what they cost — as much as $10 and sometimes more, depending on where you go. Some people are willing to make the tradeoff of buying cold pressed juices instead of taking the time to make their own. Says a health-and-wellness trainer: “I know it’s expensive but I would rather have a juice than get my nails done.”

There is an Organic Avenue in my neighborhood and I once went in for a small bottle of carrot juice and a kale salad thinking I’d try to do something light and healthy for lunch. It ended up costing something like $20, and I never went back. Instead, I now pick up a $1.99 bottle of carrot juice at Trader Joe’s and don’t really think about it.

Photo: Kurman Communications

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