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posted by LaminatorX on Wednesday July 15 2015, @06:42PM   Printer-friendly
from the illusion-of-choice dept.

Shoppers like to think they're in control of their own food decisions, but there's actually a complex web of manipulations between supermarkets and food processors going on behind the scenes.

Who's really in charge at the supermarket? Most of us assume that we're in control of our own shopping decisions. After all, we are the ones with a grocery list in one hand and a wallet in the other. It should be that way. But the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) doesn't believe it's so. Most shoppers, even the most conscientious and frugal, can fall victim to the manipulations of a food industry that pairs up with supermarkets to influence our purchasing decisions.
...
1) Unconscious Mind

Our unconscious minds rely on habit and what's deemed comfortable and familiar to us. Supermarkets use tools such as windowless buildings, forgettable music, large carts, scrumptious bakery smells, and constantly reorganized aisles to make shoppers stay longer and, by extension, spend more.
...
2) Defaults

Defaults are what you get at the supermarket, unless you actively choose something else. This can be packaging size, product formulations, or standard food combinations.
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3) Willpower Reserves

Supermarkets and food processors count on the fact that many of us will go shopping at the end of a long day, perhaps on the way home from work, or with tired, hungry kids in tow. That's when it's hardest to rely on willpower reserves.

It must explain why Cheetos constantly show up in the shopping cart.


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  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday July 15 2015, @09:14PM

    by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday July 15 2015, @09:14PM (#209598)

    http://www.amazon.com/Fritos-Bar-b-q-Corn-Chips-9-25/dp/B005X3AXXI [amazon.com]

    Just as one example.

    In the midwest I never knew they existed until one day they started showing up in vending machines (and only vending machines) about four years ago.