Did you know that food waste not only throws food in the trash, but also money? There’s an easy fix, though: mindful shopping! Here are the supermarket mistakes that are losing you money…
Not Shopping Alone
Have you ever noticed that grocery shopping seems to take alot longer when you’re with friends or family? Well, it does! Believe it or not, studies show that when people shop with friends, romantic partners, or family members, they actually spend 38% at the supermarket. That’s right! Not only that, but bringing others along also increases your time in the store by nearly a quarter.
“Eating in the company of friends generally has a disinhibiting effect,” Yann Cornil, assistant professor of marketing at Sauder School of Business, University of British Columbia, said. “People no longer try to control their food intake because they’re just having a good time.” Shopping has the same effect. So, next time, head to the store alone! You’ll be out quicker and have a smaller bill in hand.
Relying On Marketing
As you might suspect, supermarket marketing can result in massive hits to your bank account if you’re not careful. It’s hard to deny the appeal of bright, new packaging or a “good” discount. However, before you instantaneously grab the three-for-two cookies, ask yourself: will you actually finish the cookies before they go bad? Are you even saving that much money? The answer is almost always no to these types of questions.
“Foods with descriptive names are rated as more appealing and tastier,” according to the Cornell University Food & Brand Lab. “Consumers are also willing to pay more for foods that sound trendy, luxurious or yummy. The use of vivid adjectives triggers our expectations before we even taste the food.”
So, instead of automatically going for the discounted items or bright packaging, make sure to survey all your options. That can certainly be hard if shopping irritates you, which brings us to our third supermarket mistake…
Not Using H.A.L.T.
If there’s only one supermarket rule to stick to, its the H.A.L.T. rule. That is, never go grocery shopping when hungry, angry, lonely, or tired – in any emotional state, really. When someone’s in a highly emotional state, it can significantly influence what ends up in their cart. Studies show that hungry or emotional shoppers add a lot more to their baskets. A whopping 60%, in fact! So, make sure to hit the supermarket happy and on a full stomach!
“One of the things that the Food Marketing Institute and the Point-of-Purchase Advertising Institute have told us is that roughly 60% or more of what we buy in the supermarket wasn’t on our list,” Paco Underhill, author of Why We Buy, said.
Now, you can make sure that you shop smartly in 2021!
Sources: GoBankingRates, Mic