Grocery Store Tricks That Make You Spend More Money
Did you know that grocery stores use a variety of sneaky tactics to encourage shoppers to spend more? While these strategies are smart from a business perspective, they're not always great for those of us trying to lower our grocery bills and stick to a budget.
Many of these grocery store tricks that make you spend more money work because they target impulse purchases. Think about your last grocery trip. How many items ended up in your cart that weren't on your shopping list? Most of us have been there!
The good news is that once you recognize these tactics, you can make more intentional shopping decisions and keep more money in your pocket. Here are seven common grocery store tricks that make you spend more money and how to avoid falling for them.
1. Buy One, Get One Free Deals
Everyone loves getting something for free.
At first glance, there's nothing wrong with a Buy One, Get One Free promotion. Especially if it's an item you already planned to purchase. The problem is when the deal convinces you to buy something that wasn't on your list.
While you're technically getting a free item, you're still spending money you may not have intended to spend in the first place. This is one of the most effective grocery store tricks that make you spend more money because it creates a sense of urgency and value that can be hard to resist.
2. Free Samples
One word: Costco.
Free samples seem harmless, but they're surprisingly effective at influencing purchasing decisions. The combination of smelling and tasting a product can make you much more likely to buy it.
Even if you don't purchase the item right away, you've now been introduced to it. The next time you see it on sale, you may be more tempted to add it to your cart.
Costco isn't the only store that offers samples, but they're certainly known for them. Enjoy the free snack, but remember that free samples are one of the classic grocery store tricks that make you spend more money.
3. Giant Shopping Carts
Shopping carts are convenient, but have you noticed how large they've become?
The bigger the cart, the emptier it feels when you only have a few items inside. Stores know this and hope you'll continue filling it with products you didn't originally plan to buy.
To avoid overspending, bring a shopping list and stick to it. If you're only picking up a handful of items, consider skipping the cart altogether and carrying a basket, or just your items.
4. Strategic Store Layouts
You walk into the store for milk and leave with bananas, chips, and a few sale items you didn't plan on buying.
Sound familiar?
There's a reason for that. Essential items like milk, eggs, and bread are often placed at the back of the store. This forces you to walk through multiple aisles, increasing the chances that you'll spot something tempting along the way.
Store layouts are carefully designed to expose shoppers to as many products as possible, making this one of the most powerful grocery store tricks that make you spend more money.
5. End Caps
End caps are the displays located at the ends of grocery store aisles.
Because these displays are highly visible, stores often use them to promote new products, seasonal items, or products with higher profit margins.
Just because an item is featured on an end cap doesn't necessarily mean it's the best deal. Always compare prices and ask yourself whether you actually need the product before adding it to your cart.
6. Clearance Bins
There's something exciting about finding a bargain.
The challenge is that clearance bins often encourage impulse purchases. You may find an item that seems like an incredible deal, only to realize later that you didn't really need it.
Before buying, compare the sale price to the regular price and consider whether the item solves a genuine need. Otherwise, you're simply spending money because something is discounted.
7. Checkout Displays
Checkout lanes are packed with candy, magazines, gum, drinks, and other small items for a reason.
As you wait in line, the store has your undivided attention. These products are strategically placed to encourage last-minute purchases that seem inexpensive on their own but quickly add up over time.
Checkout displays remain one of the most successful grocery store tricks that make you spend more money, especially when shoppers are tired or distracted after finishing their shopping trip.
Final Thoughts
Most of us have fallen victim to these grocery store tactics at one time or another. I know I certainly have! The good news is that understanding these grocery store tricks that make you spend more money can help you shop more intentionally, avoid impulse purchases, and keep your grocery budget under control.
Have you noticed any of these tricks at your local grocery store? Are there other sneaky tactics you've seen stores use to encourage shoppers to spend more?
Country Grocer is really guilty of putting up big signs on alot of food item’s.This is a real
rip off to the shopper.I’m guilty of it to,I thought that meant those item’s were on sale.
One day I just happened to look behind the sign and it was the same price.Only the signs with
blue are on sale.Course they are the one’s up high.
Like we all would know that one!!.Also check your recipts,you don’t get the sale price all the time
or the product date is running out soon.
Store often change their layout. When they do this shoppers
1. Stay in the store longer because they don’t know where the item they are looking for is. The longer you spend in a store, the more likely you are to spend more money.
2. Because you are looking around on the shelves for your usual items, you may notice items you have never seen before and therefore, have a greater chance of purching an item you never intended.
These are two more reasons why shopping with a list is so important.
One thing I’ve noticed with the two competing grocery chains here is that when A is having a BOGO sale, B is usually selling the same items even cheaper. So buyers at A think they’re getting a deal, but they’re not. I can’t count the number of times I’ve compared the flyers and found that store B is still a better deal.
Anita, I notice this with a particular store in our area as well! I know if Safeway or other big chain store has something on sale, this other store will sell it a bit cheaper.
I’m ex-retail and it’s not just the store layout you have to watch out for – it’s the shelf layout as well. It’s called planogramming. Items at eye level are always the premium brands that are usually more expensive and generate the highest profit dollars. The cheaper, lower profit items are on the bottom shelves. Store brands are usually merchandised to the right of their national brand equivalent (that’s where your eye/hand will intuitively go first). They’re usually the better value for the consumer but generate higher profit dollars for the store than the national brand. Just be aware that every item on that shelf is placed very strategically to generate the most profit dollars for the store based on mountains of purchase data.
Another tip: if the national brand goes on sale, the store will almost always drop their store label to match or beat the national brand price.
Thanks so much for your input and expertise Melissa! Great information and something we should keep in mind!
I’m definitely guilty of spending more but I do so knowing exactly what is happening and as long as I can afford it, I’m ok with that.
One point I want to make is with the Buy 1 Get 1 Free sales. These are usually a good deal, but definitely not as good as most people think. If you look at the regular price of the item you are purchasing and then watch the flyers for the same item you may see that it regularly goes on sale for more than 50% off, which is better than a B1G1 deal.
One example that I know this often applies to is steak. Steak regularly goes on sale for 60%+ off, but you also see it advertised in B1G1 sales a lot. Waiting for a regular sale and stocking up will usually save you more money. I wrote an interesting article on the subject of sales:
Buying On Sale: Are You Really Saving Money?
Great point on the B1G1! This is very true!
A big one for me is when a store advertises 2/$5 let’s take for example. Most stores will give you half the total price (in this example $2.50) if you buy 1 instead of 2 units. Most people don’t know this and actually buy 2, when really they could of done fine with 1.
Most stores will let you buy only 1, but Shoppers Drug Mart definitely doesn’t. Their systems are pretty smart.
Oh and I hate that if you’re buying only 1 item some stores increase the price but have a better value if you buy 2 (or more)! For example, I only want 1 can of tomato sauce and it’s priced at $1.29 but if I buy 2 cans, I can get 2 for $2.00. sheesh