8 Things Stores Do to Make You Spend More Without Realizing

A consumer counts through paper currency during a shopping trip. Retail psychology programs rely heavily on subtle sensory triggers, like specific background music tempos and localized scents, to relax shoppers and extend their overall time spent inside the store. Karola G/Pexels

Supermarkets employ teams of consumer psychologists to design layouts that encourage shoppers to spend the maximum amount of money. Every single detail, from the lighting to the floor tiles, is carefully engineered to alter your shopping behavior. You might think you are making independent choices, but the store environment is constantly guiding your hands toward expensive products. Becoming aware of these hidden retail strategies is the only way to protect your weekly food budget. Let me uncover eight psychological tricks that stores use to make you buy things you never originally intended to purchase.

1. Slow Tempo Background Music