What are some psychological tricks that supermarkets use to get customers to buy more

What are some psychological tricks that supermarkets use to get customers to buy more?

The store bakery is sometimes near the entrance as the smell of food instantly boosts your appetite. Some supermarkets place the bakery towards the back as this will make you wander around for a while.

 The flowers are also near the entrance as the bright colors boost our happiness and make us feel welcomed.

 Lighting is carefully chosen at the fruit and vegetable section to make them appear bright and healthy.

Sometimes, water is sprayed on the fruits and vegetables to make them appear dewy. In reality, doing this spoils the vegetables faster.

 Fruits and vegetables are at the front so you can buy them first and feel less guilty walking towards the treats aisle.

Dairy items are always at the far-end of the supermarket. Everyone has milk and cheese on their shopping list so having them far away ensures that the customer walks throughout the whole supermarket for their item.

The popular items or sale items are in the middle of the aisles. When the customer is walking towards their milk, they will be distracted by goodies.

Music encourages us to shop more. One study found that customers spent 34% more time shopping in stores with background music.

Slow music is usually used to make us feel as if we have all the time in the world.

Shelf order. The most expensive items are placed at eye level and the supermarket own brand items are at the bottom, which means you have to crouch to get them.

Foods (sweets) that are meant for children are at a child's eye level.

When you're waiting in line, there are items on show that lure you in. Companies pay high prices to display these items as they know customers will impulsively buy at this stage.

Be careful of the size of your shopping trolley. The bigger it is, the more you'll end up buying.

The color red is the most noticeable and this is why they use this color for sale items.

The colors yellow and gold have been shown to bring about salivation and hunger.

The color blue is said to promote trust.

The larger item is only a few pennies more than the small item, so that's why they're placed side-by-side.

Some customers, mostly men, simply grab what they want. This is called the 'Boomerang Effect’. Supermarkets place major items and brands in the middle of the aisles to ensure that from any direction, the customer has to walk further to reach the item. The further they walk, the more items that will catch their eye.

Putting prices at £4.99 instead of £10.00 is based on memory processing time. People store the first digit instantly and based on this, they believe that they're getting a better price deal when in fact, they are not.

The longer the customers spend in a shop, the more likely they are to spend. That's why when you leave a supermarket, you wonder why the bill is so high.