Not one to want to make you paranoid, but in the world we live in, everyone will do what they can to get you to spend money in their favor. The grocery stores are no exception. They want to trick you into buying more than you want or need, and they aren’t shy about it. I’ve been talking about the different ways that grocery stores arrange things to influence you. Don’t fall into their trap. Be aware of some of the methods that cause you to spend more.
One thing I want to talk about now is the size of the grocery cart. The grocery cart has been steadily increasing in size by the decade. While you might think that this is a good thing, believe me it hasn’t been done for your convenience. With a supersized cart, you will feel as though you are buying less or as though you aren’t done shopping until you fill it up. So, instead of grabbing one can of beans you grab two or three. Or, you wander the aisle a bit to see if there is anything else you might want. After all, you have the room.
To capture those people that go in for a few things and grab a basket (baskets can’t hold much at all and discourage buying anything heavy), many stores have institutes little mini carts. In some stores, the baskets are being phased out all together. The minicarts resemble two baskets, one above the other, and can conveniently be wheeled. This lets you browse around a bit more without the weight of the basket, and surprise, it can hold at least twice as much stuff.
If you are old enough to remember, grocery carts used to be about half of the size they are now. In fact, few of them were large enough to be able to fit a child in the front, let alone two children.
You might think that the bigger carts reduce the need for trips to the store. After all, you can get what you need all at once. But research shows that bigger carts actually don’t reduce the number of trips to the store, but they do increase the amount that is spent at each trip. Just something to keep in mind.
Click here for more articles by Mary Ann Romans.
Five Little Grocery Shopping Tricks: The Limit Sale
Five Little Grocery Shopping Tricks: Shelf Placement
The Secret to Grocery Print-Out Coupons
Grocery Gift Cards Can Save You Money
A Guide to Salvage Grocery Shopping
How Much Did Groceries Cost in the 1980s?
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