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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.
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1) Unconscious MindOur 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.
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2) DefaultsDefaults 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 ReservesSupermarkets 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.
Original Submission
(Score: 3, Interesting) by goodie on Wednesday July 15 2015, @11:27PM
True. With my son it's fast and efficient (but still fun, we go to that grocery store where we got to know some of the staff and name vegetables and fruit etc.). With my wife it's a lot more... erratic. I do groceries so I can go home and cook, she sees it as an alternate shopping experience I think. But it's true that we're like that for any purchase. By the time I've made up my mind as to what tech thing I want to buy, she's already bought/returned a bunch of other stuff and kept some.
My best strategy at the store lately has been to to park the cart at the corner of the aisle. This way it is easier to walk through and I can only put that much stuff in my arms to bring back to the cart (less drag from shelf drop in cart). Of course that means more walking but I'm okay with that.