Grocery store gimmicks and how to beat them

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.suntimes.com/business/currency/1899154,CST-NWS-money23.article

November 23, 2009

If you ever leave the grocery store with a slight sense of bewilderment at what you've just bought, you are not alone.

Despite the utilitarian look of most grocers' shelves, careful science goes into deciding how to display the thousands of items each store carries and how to make them appeal to consumers.

As you head out to stock up for Thanksgiving, consider these findings by Tod Marks, a senior editor at Consumer Reports who is known as Tightwad Tod on his blog on the magazine's Web site:

Watch out for end of aisle

Marketers pay grocers dearly to put their wares on the prominent shelves at the end of each aisle because products there can sell 30 percent more than those on other shelves, even when the item is cheaper elsewhere in the store, Marks said. Shoppers see so-called end-caps more easily and sometimes mistakenly assume they hold hidden deals or clearance items.

Keep eyes open at eye level

[SoCalDem]

1. and don;t be afraid to "reach back"..Lazy stockers don't always rotate

Many times there are cans of stuff with 25% extra or special offers for labels, pushed way to the back.

Just recently something I buy all the time was being downsized, and at the back I found 6 jars that still had 24 oz..not the new 20oz..same price

[wuvuj]

2. How I save on the food bill....

* buy groceries every 3 weeks or so...saves on gas and if I don't buy something...it won't be eaten. Some people spend a good % of their food bill on fuel.

* go to discount grocers where the prices are usually lower all around and the selection is less...and no stupid coupons.

Went on a diet over 1 year ago and lost 50 lbs or so. Have now gone on to a no processed food...no to little sugar...no wheat diet....and am saving even a bit more $ than before....and losing weight again.

Recently tried shopping at a Walmart Super Center for food...it was pretty confusing due to the way too big selection...and the floor walkers wouldn't leave me alone...while I can buy 3 weeks of food at my regular store in 20 mins or so.

My advice? Just walk away from the insanity....you don't need all their crap....and you'll live longer.

[handmade34]

4. I vote for community co-ops

...bag your own and make friends. Congratulations on getting healthier - I have cut out all (cane and beet) sugar and my philosophy is the least processed the better.

[SoCalDem]

5. and cooking from scratch is better for you too, and a budget-stretcher

4 chicken breasts, 4 baked potatoes, an onion & 3 celery stalks, 2 carrots & egg noodles = 10 meals around my house:)

I leave some meat on the bones for soup..use the celery tops & 2/3 onion for soup

cook the breasts in olive oil with Salad Supreme sprinkled on them

1 per person with a baked potato = 2 meals

next day I put 2 breasts in the food chopper with a little onion & diced celery & a dash more of Salad Supreme.. add some mayo & we've got 4 substantial chicken salad sandwiches served with diced baked potatoes (browned crispy)= 4 more meals

I pick the chicken off the bones & add a carrot or two & some egg noodles = at least 4 big bowls of chicken & noodles ( sometimes I make my own dumplings)

[SoCalDem]

6. and cooking from scratch is better for you too, and a budget-stretcher

4 chicken breasts, 4 baked potatoes, an onion & 3 celery stalks, 2 carrots & egg noodles = 10 meals around my house:)

I leave some meat on the bones for soup..use the celery tops & 2/3 onion for soup

cook the breasts in olive oil with Salad Supreme sprinkled on them

1 per person with a baked potato = 2 meals

next day I put 2 breasts in the food chopper with a little onion & diced celery & a dash more of Salad Supreme.. add some mayo & we've got 4 substantial chicken salad sandwiches served with diced baked potatoes (browned crispy)= 4 more meals

I pick the chicken off the bones & add a carrot or two & some egg noodles = at least 4 big bowls of chicken & noodles ( sometimes I make my own dumplings)

[LeftyMom]

3. Combine store sales and coupons.

Okay, somebody's going to say, "but I eat good food, and there aren't any coupons for broccoli." First off, many natural foods brands have coupons online, if not in your local paper. Secondly, you can still save a ton even if you just use coupons on household stuff like aluminum foil and TP.

Don't assume coupons are just for grocery items either, there are lots of great ones for toys, movies, etc to be found. I already finished my holiday shopping for my kid, and though I got him good stuff (some board games, UP on Blu-Ray, some PS3 and Wii games) I don't think I spent more than $15 on any one item, because I combined manufacturer and store coupons/sales.

[SoCalDem]

12. swappinspoons.blogspot.com is a great place to find out about deals

WARNING>> the woman is a Christaholic, but she does have a nice website with lots of goodies to either download or just print out:)

www.swappinspoons.blogspot.com

[LeftyMom]

13. I use gottadeal.com

The people on the forums are great at finding coupons to pair with sales, keeping track of what's on clearance at Target, etc.

[GoCubsGo]

19. Be sure to check the date on the shelf's price tag

Some stores don't always remove the tags promptly after the sale ends. Most places will have a "prices good until..." date on their tags or signs. My local Kroger is notorious for not taking the expired sale signs down. (I think this is more poor management than outright deception...)

[LeftyMom]

23. The stores here are pretty good about it.

California has pretty good consumer protection laws, I'm fairly sure if they leave the sale sign up they have to honor it.

[rhett o rick]

27. There have been studies that show that some stores do that on purpose as well as not updating the

shelf price when they "update" the computer price. Study I saw said it wasnt a large number of items, but all errors, statistically, were in the favor of the store. I get my store to honor the sale price if posted, even if out of date. I dont accept that "they forgot to take down the sale price".

[luvspeas]

7. Always Always Always bring a list!!!

First and foremost number one rule for me. Without a list, I'm a sucker for every trick. When I have a list, I usually never even look at the endcaps because that's not where I'm used to looking for something. I buy from the bulk section of the co-op as much as possible. I eat what I buy and I buy what I eat. No waste and it's fresher.

[Dappleganger]

10. That's what helps me the most.

I'll allow myself a couple of items which aren't on it, but only after every single item on the list is checked off. I cook for a large family of 6 (two adults, three teenagers and a ravenous 11-yr. old son), so we have to make the food bill stretch. We tend to eat less red meat and more chicken and pork, too.

[imdjh]

8. Eat rice

Just rice. Very very cheap. No decisions.

[Obamanaut]

9. Don't grocery shop when hungry. n/t

[tammywammy]

17. That's what will do me in

I try to always bring a list, but if I don't AND I'm hungry, I'm screwed. I end up buying crap I never would have bought otherwise.

[Robb]

11. We found JUST THAT this weekend. And worse, actually.

End of the aisle diaper sale. Big signs, "SALE SALE!!! OMG!!" on a giant pack of diapers.

Suspicious Robb starts in on the math. Big "sale" pack of diapers, diapers were 32 cents each. Five feet away, regular size pack of same diapers, not on sale, no big sign, diapers worked out to 25 cents each.

[LiberalEsto]

14. The eye level thing is so true

A friend of mine worked in supermarkets for years. One day I took her to a grocery store and she showed me some of her tricks.

Look on the bottom and top shelves for the best buys.

Shop around the edges of the supermarket -- the middle aisles are filled with overpriced processed junk.

Check the dates on markdown items at the back of the store, and avoid dented cans.

If you buy bagged salad mix, it will keep much longer if you take it out of its bag, dry it by pressing it gently with paper towels, and putting it in another bag with as much air squeezed out as possible.

[SoCalDem]

22. how to tell if it's fresh?

The frog's still alive:rofl:

[Shagbark Hickory]

15. Generics/Storebrand/Private Label is NOT, I repeat. NOT always cheaper.

Don't forget to check the prices when the brand name stuff goes on sale and often it is way cheaper than store brand.

[ima_sinnic]

16. always bring a list AND a calculator

I have the bad habit of figuring "a few more items" won't hurt anything after I've filled the list--with a calculator, you can stay on budget. You can also figure the best deals when the per-unit pricing isn't what it should be or isn't displayed.

[GoCubsGo]

18. And, don't go when you are hungry

Too much temptation to buy something junky to eat on the way home. Not good on the budget or the waistline.

[LeftyMom]

20. Stock up on things that keep when they go on sale.

Many things go on sale at predictable times (for example baking items go on sale around the winter holidays, bbq items in late spring and summer) and can be picked up cheaply at those times. Grocery ads run wed-wed, generally the best sales are found in the last two weeks of the month, because many people stock up in the first week when they get paid.

It helps to get the grocery ads out, circle sales on items you use, then plan your menu around what's on sale. Sticking to your menu plan and not winging it (or ordering out) because you don't know what's for dinner will save a lot of money. Planning menus also allows you to integrate one night's leftovers into the next day's meal, or to know that you need to make a double batch one night because the next day will be too busy to do much cooking.

[blogslut]

21. Make time to take time

Yes, go to the store with a list. No, don't go to the store while hungry. But most important of all, take your time. Read labels. Compare products. Look at the weights of the packages. Determine if the ingredients of the name-brand thingy is an exact match to the ingredients of the store or generic brand. Don't let a bright-colored sale tag distract you from an identical item at a lower price. Look for those grocery carts containing stray items marked down that stores tuck away in hidden corners. Refuse to go to the checkout line until you are absolutely sure you've loaded the best quality for the best value into your cart.

[NNN0LHI]

24. Damn I learned a lot of stuff on this thread

Glad I posted it.

Don

[SanddancerUSA]

25. It's a lot more subliminal than just that.

They know that the majority of shopper like to go around in one particular direction (counter or clockwise cannot remember which)and will build the store accordingly. On entering you'll generally meet the fruite and veg section along with a bakery for that fresh baked bread hunger inducing smell. Every so often they will totally rearrange the store and shelves to foil the comfortable shopper who knows where everything is and goes staight there. I always get my revenge in by eating the choccy covered cashews as i go around. The odd grape is also a bonus

[Stevenmarc]

26. One of my local stores actually pumps the bakery smell across the store into the foyer

[Codeine]

29. You get your revenge by stealing?

Cute.

[Lars39]

28. Make out your menues, down to the smallest details.

Then make out your grocery list. Excel is excellent for helping to organize inventory lists. If you can, stock up on everything, then you'll be only buying fresh produce and what items are on sale. Too tired to cook? Stock away your own "fast food" items instead of relying on the nearby restaurants.