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Abuse of power and position for control and personal gain can occur in the professional‐client relationship, and has been recognised since ancient times, as documented by warnings, admonitions, and code of conduct that can be found in virtually all major cultures and professional traditions. Professional sexual misconduct and offences are emerg ing from secrecy, as compelling issues that threaten public welfare and safety and jeopardise trust in the important relationships between professionals and pa tients. For the purpose of this discussion, professional sexual misconduct can be defined as the overt or convert expression of erotic or romantic thoughts, feelings, or gestures toward the client that are sexual or may be reasonably construed by the client as sexual.

This study aims to explore factors that affect gendered consumption (male and female), willingness to pay (economic attributes) and the socio-cultural context of Gen-Z consumers towards specialty coffee as compared to other types in Taiwan.

Samoggia and Riedel’s (2018) theoretical framework is adopted to examine the concepts of interest. A mixed method approach comprising interviews and experimental taste tests was used to collect data from Gen-Z specialty coffee consumers in a purposive sampling manner.

The findings suggested the effect of price elasticity of demand where specialty coffee was perceived as an expensive commodity by young consumers, and hence, not a regularly purchased item. Nevertheless, specialty coffee was linked to health benefits, and a signal for conspicuous consumption – where café experiences facilitated self-promotion on sites like Instagram and Facebook. Finally, the findings alluded to a potential gender effect, with more female young consumers likely to consume specialty coffee as compared to their male counterparts.

This study is located within the context of Taiwan, which has been a tea-dominated consumption landscape for numerous decades. The use of an experimental design also presents a unique angle to elucidate sensory elements surrounding specialty coffee as a research design for Gen-Z research projects. The study points to the relevance of social context in the consumers’ behavioural patterns, which has been largely implicit within consumer behaviour scholarship.