WHY DO SUPERMARKETS PUT FRUITS AND VEGETABLES AT THE FRONT?

Have you ever pondered the universal layout of supermarkets? Ingenious designers are behind it, subtly enticing you to walk through each aisle and fill your trolley without even realizing it.

Consider this a gentle nudge to bring your shopping list to the supermarket consistently.

Reeves Connelly, who studied architectural design at the Pratt Institute, shared: “The amount of thought that goes into grocery store design, from a psychological and marketing standpoint, is absolutely wild.”

According to Reeves, there is a specific reason why fruit and vegetables are often located at the front of the store.

“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.”

Milk and eggs, the staples that households use and run out of most frequently, are rarely at the front of a supermarket.

He explained: “You might have also noticed that essential items like milk and eggs are deliberately placed all the way in the back of the store so that you’re forced to walk through other aisles to get to them,”

“And they make sure to fill the ends of the aisles with a lot of unhealthy options like snacks and sodas to make sure you come across them while on your way to the essential items.”

These sneaky designers aren’t just targeting adults’ desires; they also want to ensure kids want more — another reason to shop alone.

“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,” he continues.

Don’t blame yourself if you can’t resist exiting the store without buying something. It’s that the checkouts block the exit “to discourage you from leaving without buying anything.”

There’s also a reason why you often feel lost in your local supermarket. Shockingly, they move things around.

Reeves said: “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.”

nypost.com