Milk and?

I open my fridge. Oh! I finished the milk last night. Hence, no cereal, and therefore no breakfast. I rush to the local supermarket. I need milk, and I need it now. I am starving. Wait, I smell bread. Freshly baked. I give it a look. I have an entire loaf lying in the fridge. I don’t need more, I tell myself. But the smell. The bread is fresh, and still warm from the oven. Smells SO good. I walk to the next aisle. Now I have deprived of myself. I did the right thing. I must treat myself for having such good will power. I end up picking a pack of pancakes. Oh wait, where is the milk? I head to the milk section. It’s so far away. On my way, I pick a box of cookies ('only' coz it’s on sale). I feel good about doing the ‘wise’ thing. I move on. I probably need the hazelnut coffee, you know, for change from the regular coffee I have. It’s good if I fulfill my food tantrums in the supermarket, coz they won’t go away. And I will end up buying stuff from a convenience store at twice the price, I justify. After another 3 stops, I finally get to the milk section. Contempt with my half full trolley, I proceed to the cash counter. I settle the bill. It’s 30 USD. I thought I just wanted milk? How did 3 become 30?

Happens to ALL of us. Everyday. Supermarkets are designed to increase your dwell time, the time you spend in a store. You enter with a list, and leave with the list plus 5 extra items, on an average. Take Dominick’s for instance. On entering you see the fresh fruit section. One would think it’s a necessity, and you would buy it anyway, so why not put it right in the back? Well, it’s sitting in the front so that you start your purchase cycle feeling guilt free. You’re buying whats healthy, and thus already feeling happy. That’s a good way to start. Not for you though.

The eggs, the milk, the yogurt is always at the end, so you go all the way to the end, and make numerous stops on your way, just like I did.

The bread is freshly baked, and sometimes it smells divine. Sometimes it does not. Supermarkets in general use fragrances inside the store that make us hungry. Its all by design. Nothing is by default. Another research suggested retailers these days, scent the produce section with smell of freshly cut grass to create illusion of freshness.

The tea is lying with cereal so that you buy associated items even if you came in to buy just tea, or just cereal. Cheese + crackers. Candles + matches. Chips + dip.

The lighting is strong. The discount tags are catchy but confusing. $2.99 for 2. Wait, does that mean I get the discount only if I buy 2? Or can I buy 1 for $1.5?

Small size candies line the cash till. Just in case you were strong enough to say no to the Mars family pack, we will get you to pick the pocket size bar. And you tell yourself, “how much damage will that tiny bar do!”

Baskets are getting bigger, trolleys are getting wider. Research says people subconsciously try to ‘fill’ empty space. There you go.

One way doors, that allow you to enter but not exit.

Yesterday I saw tiny cream jars stacked together with a tag – ‘only 3 per customer’. Creating scarcity of supply for something with limited demand.

Another study says people buy more and more expensive options when surrounded by people to subconsciously maintain self image. 

A simple solution for people like us is to carefully review the list at hand. And each time you go beyond the list - give yourself 5 seconds to think if it really adds value.