A luxury strawberry sold for $28: food, a symbol of a person's social status?
A person who eats a strawberry like a "jewel" at a cost of $28 defines their "social status," which proves to what extent food has become an "identity marker" in society.
• Also read: A luxury strawberry sold for almost $30 (under a plastic bell) causes controversy
An American high-end grocery chain, Erewhon, sells a single strawberry grown in Japan for US$19, or nearly CA$28, under a small plastic bell jar, presented as a "jewel."
On social media, several Internet users film themselves eating this strawberry to experience more than just an experience, in particular to prove "that they are capable of affording this luxury," explained urban nutritionist and blogger, Bernard Lavallée.
Speaking to Isabelle Maréchal on QUB radio and TV, broadcast simultaneously on 99.5 FM Montreal, the nutritionist explained that these people prefer to experience it as a show by broadcasting it on their social networks, rather than making it a personal experience.
“If you go so far as to film yourself and show yourself on TikTok, it’s not a personal experience at all,” he continued. “Your goal is to show, ‘Look at me, I can afford a strawberry that costs $19.’”
• On the same subject, listen to this podcast episode taken from Isabelle Maréchal 's show, broadcast on QUB platforms and simultaneously on 99.5 FM Montréal:
For Bernard Lavallée, eating this strawberry "clearly" demonstrates the social status of the person consuming it, while also indicating that he has "no problem throwing his money out the window."
All your food choices reflect your values, the social class you belong to, and your culture, since "food is a marker of identity."
"There are foods that will be associated with wealth, and then there are foods that will be associated with poverty," Lavallée said.
Watch the full QUB segment, above.
LE Journal de Montreal
