10 things your grocer doesn't want you to know
Every single day, about 32 million Americans go grocery shopping. The grocery store is chock full of information. Everywhere you look, you see a sign advertising something. We read labels, we scan prices, we compare brands, we clip coupons, we read the store circular to find out the best deals. Yep, our grocers have a lot of information to offer. But are they really telling us the whole story?
For one thing, the grocery cart has more germs on it than you'd encounter in a public bathroom. And for another, the fresh food may not really be fresh. What else don't they want you to know?
- That Cart is Dirtier Than Your Toilet: Sorry, but it's true. A recent study showed that shopping carts harbor more saliva, bacteria and even fecal matter than public telephones and public toilets.
- "Specials" Make You Spend More: Five for $10! Buy three, get two free! What a deal, right? Not always. Studies show that when shoppers see numbers in a sign, they're likely to buy 30 to 105 percent more of that product.
- Scanners Can Make Pricing Errors -- And They Do: The scanner not only adds speed to the checkout process, but also accuracy. However, don't assume that the computer is always right. Pricing errors occur more often than you might think -- and it could work out in your favor.
Full list at HowStuffWorks.com.
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