From the entrance to the aisles, every item in a grocery store is placed with a purpose: to entice you to spend more money.
"It's a business. Everyone is running a business here," says Dawn Napoli, a registered dietitian with MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando, from a grocery store recently.
There are a few tips you can use to avoid the layout ploy.
First, always have a list to keep you focused.
And be wary of the BOGO deals, because chances are, you don't need the buy-one, get-one-free items. BOGO items usually are placed in the front of stores -- before your cart gets filled with necessities.
"When you come into a grocery store, on the perimeter is where you are going to have the freshest items," Napoli said.
These are items such as milk, eggs, bread, cheese and meats. Napoli says the milk is purposely placed in the back of the store, forcing shoppers to walk through the aisles.
But when in the aisles, watch out for clever, colorful packaging.
"Colors like yellows, reds and oranges actually make you hungry," Napoli said.
Also, look at all the shelves, because products at eye level are bought most often and typically are the most expensive. Sugary cereals that appeal to children are on lower shelves -- at their eye level.
