Shopping Cart of the Future?

This one is Lucy's, stuffed with all the essentials.

Researchers from the business school at New Mexico State University had a simple idea. They wondered if a line of duct tape could change the way you shop at the grocery store. For the experiment, all they did was place a line of duct tape across the front half of the shopping cart and said this section is for produce and the back half is for everything else. Well, the test was more than successful. That two foot length of duct tape and a sign on each cart increased sales of produce by 102% of those using the marked carts over the unmarked. And total sales didn't diminish. People still spent the same average amount no matter what cart they were using; they just changed the quantity of what they were buying.


Although there have been plenty of ideas on how to help us shop better, from stars to nutritional indexes, this idea was much simpler. Either it is fresh fruit and vegetables or it isn't, and a line to divide them. Seeing the visual balance keep shoppers in check on their own without any other strategy or intervention.


So next time you head out maybe bring a roll of tape, make yourself and line and fill your cart accordingly. Balance the crackers with the broccoli and the sausage with the apples. A balanced cart will help lead to a balanced fridge and more balanced meals. Pretty cool.