You eat what you buy. That’s why supermarkets play a major role in shaping our eating habits. These supermarket facts will help you make healthier choices and resist temptation.
Did you know supermarkets use clever tricks to make you buy more? For example, in most supermarkets, you walk right into the fresh produce section. By putting fruits and veggies in your cart first, you immediately feel good about yourself — and that makes it more likely you’ll later make less healthy choices. After all, you already put something healthy in your basket, right?
The healthiest items are usually placed in the outer aisles — you may have heard that before. But did you also know that basic products like bread, dairy, and meat are spread far apart, forcing you to walk through the entire store?
Another trick: products with the highest profit margins are placed at eye level. But look up — the healthiest options are often on the top shelf.
In addition to these tricks, here are a few smart shopping tips:
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Don’t trust what’s on the front of the packaging. Claims like “no added sugar,” “zero,” “low fat,” “light,” or “source of fiber” are allowed under certain conditions. They say something about what’s inside, but not how healthy the product actually is.
For example, in light peanut butter or chips, fat might be replaced by carbs — so the calorie count is still high.
(Source: The Netherlands Nutrition Centre) -
Make a grocery list (or use one from our app) — and stick to it.
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Avoid tempting offers on unhealthy sweets and snacks, or shop online to prevent impulse buys.