Outsmart the Supermarket Planners

We’ve all been enticed by bakery aromas pumped to the front of the store or gleaming, colourful piles of peaches and red peppers. Next time you shop, see how many tricks you can spot, and don’t play their game.

Flowers, fresh fruit, the salad bar and the deli counter entice you in and immediately gratify your senses. Wait to the end to see if you really need them.

Make smart decisions between packaged and loose in the fruit and veggie section. Don’t be tempted by the salad dressing and dips, as often the most expensive are placed beside comparatively inexpensive produce.

If you have only come in for a loaf of bread, don’t pick up a basket—you may fill it.

The end-of-aisle displays are made to look like specials, but don’t be fooled—they may be full-price items.
Often special-food displays are positioned to block your path on the way to the cash. Stacks of cookies and other treats whet your appetite, but they’re expensive.

Waiting in line can be boring, but don’t even look at the items at the cash registers—they are impulse buys you don’t need, and they usually have a high markup.