Picture this: you’re shopping in the grocery store with only a few more aisles to go. So far, you’ve meticulously selected every ingredient required to make that duck flambe for Aunt Mercy’s birthday party. Your cart is reasonably full and every item on your grocery list is crossed off, so you begin to head for the checkout when it happens.

A box of Snickers Pumpkins jumps out at you from an end cap. You try to pass by, but the siren song of holiday marketing proves to be too strong to resist and you snag a package as you go by. As you throw it in your cart, you look away to make it seem like the Snickers got there by accident. That way, when you get to the checkout they just happen to be sitting on top of all your food and oh look hey, you have to buy them.

None of us plan to impulse buy at the grocery store (hence the name), but sometimes it just happens. It mostly occurs at the register, when the end is in sight and our defenses are down. It also often happens around the holidays, when companies are coming out with all kinds of new seasonal products. Some shoppers find the strength in themselves to stick to the game plan while some will always bend to the temptation of that new or favorite candy or soda.

Do you impulse buy at the grocery store, So Good readers? Vote below and explain in the comments.

[poll id=”383″]

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Sam

My name is Sam and all I care about is food.

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4 Responses

  1. Mary

    Dear god yes. I think 90% of what I buy is impulse stuff. That’s why I end up eating chips and dip for dinner most of the time.

    Reply
  2. Smokin'

    If I make it a point to always try one or two new items on each grocery shopping trip, is that really an impulse buy?

    Reply
  3. Not-So-Famous Dave

    No. Always work from a list. Another good impulse-buy-prevention-practice(IBPP) is to clean out your fridge before you go shop. Throwing out the old and expired stuff serves as a good reminder not to over do it. Am I channeling Heloise?

    Reply

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