TORONTO -- Following a difficult few months that saw consumer behaviour drastically change during the pandemic, Starbucks is now offering one of its most popular drinks earlier than ever in what may be an attempt to lure customers back.

Beginning Tuesday, Starbucks customers across Canada and the U.S. will be able to order the famed Pumpkin Spice Latte and a few other fall-themed drinks and treats, including the Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew, Salted Caramel Mocha, pumpkin scones, and pumpkin cream cheese muffins.

It’s the earliest release date for Starbucks’ Pumpkin Spice Latte, with last year’s launch occurring on Aug. 27.

In an emailed statement to CTVNews.ca, a spokesperson for Starbucks Canada said the release date for the Pumpkin Spice Latte varies from year to year.

“Last year, the PSL returned on August 27, and this year the date is two days earlier. We know that customers wait with anticipation each year for the return of the beloved fall menu, and we are excited to bring back our fan favorite pumpkin beverages to help them embrace the season,” the statement said.

While the Starbucks spokesperson didn’t suggest the drink’s earlier launch date was related to the pandemic, marketing expert Tony Chapman thinks the company is resorting to one of its most successful promotions in order to bring customers back to its stores at a difficult time for many businesses.

“They have to create an itch. They have to give people a reason to remember Starbucks exists,” he told CTVNews.ca during a telephone interview on Tuesday. “It’s no longer part of my daily habit. I’m not going to work the way I used to, I’m not having my 11 o'clock break the way I used to…”

As more Canadians work remotely and stay home during the pandemic, Chapman said retailers that rely on shoppers coming to their stores are suffering.

“The problem with this pandemic, it's not like competitors changed the rules, we permanently, at least while COVID is happening, changed human behaviour,” he explained. “When the day is no longer as regimented, someone like Starbucks has got to be very creative and trying to find a way to get you back.”

Although Chapman said he appreciates that Starbucks is also promoting its iced version of the Pumpkin Spice Latte, the Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew, because the weather is still warm, he thinks it’s still too early for the flavour.

“It’s certainly a smart move because it gives them permission to play in this season, but I would rather have them do the summer harvest latte and maybe have them do the peaches in the drinks that have them come out at the end of the summer harvest,” he said. “Pumpkin latte to me is October. Pumpkin is associated with Halloween.”

Pumpkin isn’t the only fall flavour the company is promoting, Starbucks is also trying to appeal to those with a different palate by introducing a new fall drink for Canadian customers exclusively. The Apple Oat Flat White, which is only available in Canada for a limited time, is a steamed espresso drink with “roasted apple syrup” and a “clove sugar topping.”

Chapman said he thinks the company will have to do more than offer popular flavours out of season in order to weather the storm the pandemic has created. He said he expects Starbucks, and other businesses like it, to consolidate their locations and focus their attention on home delivery so they can reach those customers who are no longer coming to them.

Starbucks appears to be doing this already with its June announcement of a two-year plan to close up to 200 locations in Canada, in response to changing consumer habits during the pandemic.

The chain said it typically closes 100 stores in North America every year due to leases expiring so the Canadian closures represent a marked increase.

According to the company, some of the closing Canadian locations will be “repositioned” with store formats that include “pick-up, drive-thru and curbside delivery.”

While the chain had already begun experimenting with pick-up only locations, Starbucks said the pandemic has dramatically shifted consumers’ habits and accelerated their timeline for rolling out these new stores.

Chapman said this shift in consumers’ shopping habits was already occurring before the pandemic, but it’s now been fast-tracked.

“These changes were happening anyway,” he said. “People are moving more online, people are working more from home. What we see with COVID is the acceleration of changes in capitalism we've never witnessed before.”

With files from The Canadian Press