by Becky Sun
Scratchies aren’t characters from The Simpsons. They’re what Aussies call scratch-off lottery tickets, and they are just one of the 21st-century equivalents of the lipstick that Depression-era women bought to brighten their lives. Global View has been tracking numerous examples in this vein.
It’s not only lipstick that’s enjoying a sales boost; women are turning to all beauty products for affordable indulgences. This category is booming in India, with some having just discovered makeup. (Good girls weren’t supposed to use cosmetics.) Now that it’s become acceptable to wear it, they’re not letting it go just because of the recession.
Global consumers are also finding solace in other treats. Chocolate is raising endorphins from Seoul to São Paulo. Argentineans can’t get enough of alfajores, dulce de leche sandwich cookies. The Japanese, especially women, are lining up for cakes and pastries. The credit crunch is turning into a “credit munch” in the U.K., where biscuits with tea are “nonnegotiable treats” and sales of bubbly are popping.
If you can’t eat or drink it, wear it: Beautiful lingerie is a pick-me-up worldwide. Turkish women feel pretty in sexy stockings, which cost much less than new shoes. Mexican and French women get glam with costume jewelry, which is cheap and breaks easily but lifts the spirits.
And there’s the scratchie, the ultimate “lipstick” for men and women around the globe. After buying beer or chocolates at the convenience store, instead of taking the change, many consumers are asking for a few lottery tickets. Because along with comfort, consumers want fantasy — the dream that their circumstances could change, all for a few bucks.
