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Who's Really in Charge at the Supermarket?

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

Phoenix666 writes:

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 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.
...
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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Original Submission

• Re:they put the oldest stuff up front Re:they put the oldest stuff up front (Score: 2) by hendrikboom on Thursday July 16 2015, @12:29AM

  by hendrikboom (1125) on Thursday July 16 2015, @12:29AM (#209704) Homepage Journal

  They are best by dates, not worst after dates.

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• Re:they put the oldest stuff up front Re:they put the oldest stuff up front (Score: 2) by Jaruzel on Thursday July 16 2015, @06:40AM

  by Jaruzel (812) on Thursday July 16 2015, @06:40AM (#209843) Homepage Journal

  Kinda.
  In UK/Europe we have Best Before and Use By.

  'Best Before' is a guideline and typically most stuff lasts from a few days to several weeks after the date shown before inedible.[1]
  'Use By' is for stuff that will most definitely make you sick if you eat it past the date shown.

  My psycho mother was obsessed with food dates, which has left me a little paranoid about eating anything that's past it's 'Use By'... :(

  -Jar

  [1] In fact I'm pretty sure that by law they have to at least put best befores on ALL foods whether or not that foodstuff actually perishes.

  --
  This is my opinion, there are many others, but this one is mine.

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  • Re:they put the oldest stuff up front Re:they put the oldest stuff up front (Score: 1) by DutchUncle on Thursday July 16 2015, @03:34PM

    by DutchUncle (5370) on Thursday July 16 2015, @03:34PM (#209987)

    I have seen "best before" dates on salt. It's ROCK. It's millions of years old. But it was processed, handled, and packaged, so they have to put a 2-year date on it.

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    • salt goes bad salt goes bad (Score: 2) by albert on Thursday July 16 2015, @04:34PM

      by albert (276) on Thursday July 16 2015, @04:34PM (#210019)

      Humidity gets in, causing the salt to cake. Eventually you'd have to cut open the container and re-grind the salt.

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      • Re:salt goes bad (Score: 1) by DutchUncle on Thursday July 23 2015, @07:53PM

        by DutchUncle (5370) on Thursday July 23 2015, @07:53PM (#212828)

        To paraphrase, the expiration date is on this particular package of this particular presentation of the million-year-old rock. Not the rock. Yes, I can accept that. :-)

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