The Psychology of Grocery Stores

Hi everyone, it's Karen here. When I think back (waaaay back) to my college years, it seems like an endless blur of projects, papers, studying, and all-nighters. While I don't remember too many specifics, I do remember one particular assignment from my senior year, as I was on the brink of becoming a dietitian.

The project required us to go to a grocer store and look for examples of "shopping traps" designed to entice customers to buy more stuff. There was a checklist of "traps" to look for and I remember thinking, "What the heck are they talking about? I've never seen these things." But that was exactly the point. These traps use human psychology to manipulate you into buying more than you plan or need to. As I walked around the store, I was amazed at how easily I could find these traps once I knew what I was looking for. I honestly think that one assignment sparked a lifelong fascination in the grocery store for me.

I would like to share some of these traps with you so that you can also have the benefit of knowing what to look for. Psychology is a funny thing. As humans, we never want to admit how easily we can be manipulated by marketing, but there is entire science devoted to studying and applying consumer psychology. Let me let you in on a few grocery store secrets!

Produce section at the entrance of the store.

Seeing and smelling all that fresh stuff at the start of your shopping is meant to lift your spirits and put you on a good mood (happy shoppers spend more money).

One way exit and entry doors.

If a store places the exit and entry doors away from one another, it means that you can't just pop in and then decide to leave. Instead you need to navigate your way around the store to get out (which means you'll see more things you are tempted to buy).

Sloooooooow music.

Slower music which encourages you to take your time and walk at a more leisurely pace. This allows you to discover more, and subsequently put more in your cart. And time spent in the store is important. Research indicates that after 23 minutes of shopping, we start to make more emotional and less practical decisions (which is when those impulse purchases start to sneak in).

Children's items on lower shelves.

So simple, yet so dangerous. Retailers know that putting kid things where kids can see them is a great way to get adults to buy more stuff!

Bigger shopping carts.

Over time, grocery carts have become bigger and it isn't a mystery as to why – the emptier a cart looks, the more we want to fill it with unnecessary stuff. If you only came to the store for a few items, skip the cart and use a hand basket instead.

End cap displays.

Items on promotion are almost always placed at the end of the aisle, as you turn into the next aisle. This is a prominent location where items are more likely to catch your attention.

Hidden staples.

Milk and bread are set far apart from the entrance and from each other, to get you to walk through all parts of the store.

Interesting, huh? Have you noticed these traps? Are these other traps you have noticed that are not on this list? As they say "Caveat emptor!"