Sneaky reason supermarkets place fruit and vegetables at the front of the shop

08 March 2024 , 19:29

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There is a clever reason behind the layout of a supermaket (Image: PA Archive/PA Images)

It's always the things you need that are always at the back of the supermarket - but there's a reason the fruit and veg are always put at the front.

You may have never put much thought into how a supermarket is laid out but you end up pushing your trolley through all the aisles before you get to the staples you need, according to one architectural design student theres a whole strategy behind it.

Reeves Connelly took to TikTok to reveal the psychological, as well as marketing reasons as to why fruit and veg are at the front, and the things we seem to need are always miles away at the back.

Reeves, who studied architectural design at the Pratt Institute said: "The amount of thought that goes into grocery store design, from a psychological and marketing standpoint, is absolutely wild. Grocery stores will place the produce section right at the entrance so you'll grab the fruits and vegetables first and then hopefully feel less guilty about grabbing junk food later on."

Whereas for things people run out of the most - eggs and milk - they're usually at the back of the supermarket. He explained: "You might have also noticed that essential items like milk and eggs are deliberately placed all the way in the back of the store so that you're forced to walk through other aisles to get to them.

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"And they make sure to fill the ends of the aisles with a lot of unhealthy options like snacks and sodas to make sure you come across them while on your way to the essential items," he also added that the layout isn't designed just for adults, they designers have the youngest of shoppers on their mind too.

"Another way that they get you to spend more money is by arranging the cereal aisle so that the sugary cereals are at a child’s eye level so they’re more likely to grab one while the healthier options are way up top," Reeves added.

There's also a reason that the tills are by the exit, as they're designed to block you from leaving without buying anything. You may also feel as if no matter how many times you visit your local supermarket, you will still end up getting lost and not being able to find what you're looking for.

Reeves said this is also done on purpose and you're not losing your mind. They're designed to be like a maze and said: "They are very much aware that these tactics become less effective after you visit the store a few times and get a better sense of where everything is, so they'll regularly move the products to different aisles to disorient you."

So next time you go into the supermarket for one thing and walk out with nearly a whole trolley full, you'll know exactly why.

Niamh Kirk