10 March 2024 , 15:00
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We've all heard of shrinkflation, but have you ever wondered why nutritious fruit and veg is always placed in the same spot in supermarkets?
The next time you pop down to do your big food shop, you might want to take a second to look at the way each aisle is laid out, as supermarkets reportedly use a sneaky trick to make you buy more junk.
An architecture and design expert says there is a tactical reason why fruit and veg are near the entrance, and essential items are at the back.
Reeves Connelly, who studied architectural design at the Pratt Institute, said every corner of a supermarket has been designed to manipulate shoppers into spending as much as possible. "The amount of thought that goes into grocery store design, from a psychological and marketing standpoint, is absolutely wild," Connelly said.
The design expert took to his TikTok page @reevcon, where he speaks about shop and restaurant designs as well as film sets and interior design, and claimed: "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."
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He added: "The only way to reach the exit is by awkwardly walking through the checkout lanes - it's to discourage you from leaving without buying anything."
Reeves claimed the reason they put fruits and vegetables at the start of stores is "so you feel less guilty about grabbing junk food later on". Reeves also pointed out: "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."
The design lover also explained that essential items such as eggs and bread are placed towards the back of supermarkets so you're "forced to walk through other aisles to get them", and might pick up extra items along the way. Reeves also said some shops have double the size of trollies in a bid to get customers to buy more.
He continued: "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."
Reeves' video raked in over one million views as shoppers rushed to share their thoughts. One commenter said: "They also put small snacks, chewing gum and stuff like that by the registers, so you throw them in last second."
"Crazy how some people are paid to make people poorer and unhealthier," added another. A third wrote: "This is why I hate grocery shopping. I have to go through a maze just to get eggs and milk." "Their little tricks always work on me," added one other.
One commenter, who believes they are unaffected by supermarket layouts, said: "Stores got to realise you cant out awkward me. I’ll walk in and walk out empty handed 2 seconds later if they don’t have what I want."
"Jokes on them, I disassociate when shopping," added another. "Doesn't work on me," someone else penned.
Have you been affected by supermarket layouts? Share your thoughts in the comments below.