Food Theory: You've Been SCAMMED...and Never Knew It! (Supermarket Secrets)

I’m immune to the psychological manipulation of grocery stores because I have a little thing called an utter lack of money

"I'm buying one thing" "We bought a zoo" This hits WAY too hard.

My suggestion to avoid being manipulated by grocery stores: 1. Write a physical list 2. Write down the cost of each item 3. Add the total together 4. At the bottom, write down your bank account balance, write down the math problem, subtracting the total cost of your groceries. 5. Every time you think "I'll just get a quick snack", look at what your account balance will be after you finish shopping, think about other costs you need to deal with later (such as gas). This will remind you that you're broke and can't afford to buy extra stuff. OR Just write "Don't let them deceive you. Stay on Track. Remember: You're broke." on the list in bright red pen. The bright, alerting color will make that writing seem very important and will set off wake up alarms in your brain. I do both of these on a regular basis when I don't feel like spending extra money, so I know they work. For me, at least.

As a QUALIFIED MARKETING PROFESSIONAL and Business Studies GCSE A grade owner, I can confirm that all this stuff is encouraged in these Courses! We learn about these tactics in both Business Studies and Marketing. You can get entire dedicated qualifications in supermarket design and tactics. Thank you for shining light on this for people, to help them in this cost of living crisis!!!

"The ones that they want you to buy are at eye level" Short people : Why are these items so cheap?

Supermarket: tries to make you spend more. Introverts: "I don't have such weakness!".

I'd like to add something that's not always noticeable: Pinkish lighting is used in the central area of the produce section where the tomatoes are displayed to make them look riper. Take them to the lights by the lettuces/greens where the whiter light is, to see their true ripeness.

My daughter who grew up with me teaching all the saving tricks was amazed that her college girlfriend didn't know any of them. The girl was raised upper middle class and had never been in charge of a budget before. Even the most basic things like not looking at the price on the shelf but the cost per amount. Like reading the labels on name brand and generic otc meds, and the money it can save you. She glad to learn it!

Customer: I ain’t buying this Store: ya like jazz Customer: shut up and take my money

Here's a tip from someone who used to be a cashier: If you don't want something by the time you get up to the checkout just give it to the cashier. It happens all the time.

A nice strategy would be writing down the price of the items you often buy, then add up the items on your shopping list and only bring that specific amount in cash so you can't spend more than what you planned

this whole time I thought my anxiety induced rush to get in and out of any store was a bad thing! Thanks Mat Pat, feeling better about my life 😭

Here's two hacks: 1. "Mom, can we-" "No" 2. Use cash and limit your spending money (i. e. List cost approximately 30$? Only carry 35$-45$ in your wallet)

Higher items are eye level Short people: I cannot be stopped.

Some stores also relocate items somewhat throughout the store, even if still in the same aisle. Another way to keep you looking for what you need when you thought you knew where it was.

I may just be the weird one here, but I look up the exact aisle that the stuff I want to buy is on the store's website and make a beeline for those specific items -- no searching or wandering. I think I've impulse purchased exactly once in the last year (it was a whole wheat sourdough that I don't always find) and never spend more than ~30 minutes at the store.

For a moment I was like "the cheaper items are always in my eyeline and expensive products are slightly higher" and then I remembered I'm short lol

They put the expensive products at eye level. Me, a very short person: Haha, suckers, you lose!

Took me 10 years and watching this video to realize Decision fatigue was a thing. I've been dealing with it at work when hauling massive loads of tasks non-stop in a fast manner for half a hour usually. Thank you for the insight!

Matpat made a good point about the shelf stacking. Being a nightshift stocker. I was specifically told to make the higher price items higher up. Compared to the cheaper options for customers. I always tell my family to look lower for items.