Ever been to a new supermarket – maybe in a new city, state or even country – and been surprised at how familiar its layout seemed?

Turns out that’s no accident: according to this almost creepy Economist article, the layout of the grocery store is carefully designed to make us buy, buy, buy.

The weirdest thing is that the model it uses is a UK chain that I’ve never been to – and the description of the layout exactly matches my home market.

Subtle Psychological Tricks to Make Us Spend

1. Purchasing Zones: Apparently, vendors place merchandise at specific points in the store in order to appeal to a customer’s likely state of mind, such as:
   • The decompression zone: When we first enter a store, studies have shown, we need some time to “decompress” before we begin shopping. In supermarkets, this area usually has promotional items.
   • The chill zone: This is the second area of a store a consumer hits. It generally has browsing-friendly items like books and magazines, designed to promote impulse buys and slow people down.
2. (Psycho)logical Boosters: Ever wondered why fruits and veggies are the first food you see in the market? I have – I mean, they’ll get bruised if I put them in my cart first! But it seems produce comes first because consumers tend to feel good about themselves if they stock up on healthy food first, and are in a better mood for the rest of the trip – and happy consumers buy more.
3. Basics in the Back: Essential items are often in the back of grocery stores – or in the middle of aisles. This is no coincidence: the more items you see on display, the greater the chances you’ll buy something not on your list.
4. Multisensory Lures: Even though it’s more efficient to ship bread and other baked goods from a central baker, most grocers now have bakery sections. And it’s no wonder: those fresh smells are irresistible and push us toward buying delectable baked goods. They may even trigger happy memories, which may incline us to making purchases.

Consumer Habits: A Lucrative Study Topic

Unsurprisingly, research on how and why we spend money is well funded and often kept secret.

After all, every company wants to have an edge over its competitors, and when two products are essentially the same (as with dryer sheets, coffee, cereal, etc.), the only noticeable difference may be in how they’re marketed.

And, good news for producers and marketers is often bad news for us, the consumers, because we’re likely the targets of their clever psychological tricks to get us to spend.

Resist the Subconscious Pull at the Store

There are a few tricks for avoiding the lures of the supermarket and sticking with your grocery budget:

• Never shop hungry: You’ll buy more than you need and that bakery smell may be more than you can take.
• Bring a list: If you know what you need ahead of time, you’ll be less likely to make impulse buys when you’re in the aisles.
• Avoid areas you don’t need: If you need nothing in one aisle, skip it.
• Look up and down: Make sure you’re looking at items placed above and below eye level – cheaper brands typically appear on these less-coveted shelf areas.

Additional Resources:
The Psychology of Spending: How You Spend Affects How Much You Spend (PDF)

How to file bankruptcy.

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