Store layout, labels and even music can all make shoppers spend more

The cost of living crisis is hitting Aussies hard, but there are a few tricks to be aware of next time you shop that could save you money.

How many times have you walked into a supermarket for one thing and emerged with a trolley full of groceries?

The way stores are designed, including the positioning of items in aisles, the music played, and even the colour of the price labels, are among the strategies used to boost spends.

School of Marketing at UNSW Business School Professor Nitika Garg said supermarket consumer behaviour – where we buy more than we intend to — was something most Australians had fallen victim to.

“There are multiple factors that are playing into it. One is psychologically, we get a kick out of getting a good deal, and marketers understand it which is why the way they promote products in general,” Prof Garg said.

Professor Nitika Garg said there are a range of ways shoppers can save money.

“We get sucked in by maybe one or two deals at one retailer and then we just do everything right (there at that supermarket). The reason why they offer what we call loss leaders (is) because they know that these will get people in and they also know people are not just going to walk out with that product – they’re going to buy other things.”

She said the quest for a bargain in a cost-of-living environment had amplified the situation — and spawned a new pricing phenomenon, where the customer is led to believe they are buying an item on sale.

“They say ‘we have held the price constant’ … but the thing is, by saying locked in, and by having the colour scheme that they have for the price tag … it automatically cues this idea of being a deal. It’s nothing of the sort. It is just that the product is being sold at the price that it is always been sold at,” she said.

It is also standard to put the essential goods at the back of the store and to separate them from each other so the customer has to walk deep into the store and pass through multiple aisles.

Even the speed and style of the music is carefully selected for the time of day, with more mellow music at night and faster tunes when there is higher levels of foot traffic.

Studies in the US have shown that some trolley sizes in supermarkets have doubled in size since first being introduced. This has resulted in consumers typically buying 40 per cent more food items.

Chris shops with his son Nash (20 months) and looks for bargains to save money. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

A Woolworths spokeswoman said the company doesn’t have a consumer psychologist on staff and had introduced changes to its in store deals in response to the cost of living crisis over the past year.

A Coles’ spokeswoman said: “Our in-store experience is focused on ensuring customers can access and easily find the best value and healthier products.

“When it comes to the layouts of our stores and the products and services we offer, we rely on customer insights to determine what works best for their needs. At a time when cost of living pressures are mounting for many customers, Coles is committed to help Australians with a range of value campaigns to support customers in tough economic circumstances.”

Melbourne dad Chris usually takes 20 month-old son Nash along to do one big grocery shop a week to save on supermarket costs.

Going to the supermarket prepared with a shopping list helped, he said, but still managed to keep within his intended budget.

“I have noticed that my weekly grocery shop has become more expensive,” he said.

“I look for bargains where I can and see what is on sale.”

Originally published as Store layout, labels and even music can all make shoppers spend more