Tough Challenge: Prodding Grocery Shoppers To Make The Produce Aisle A Top Priority

Nutrition and health researchers are testing ways to prod grocery shoppers away from the processed food aisles and toward the produce aisles. Acknowledging that it’s a tough challenge – food companies and grocery stores have a huge array of tricks to get people to buy high-margin junk food and drinks – the researchers are nevertheless determined to keep at it. Among the tricks being tested: putting mirrors in shopping carts so shoppers can see they need to eat healthier; and dividing shopping carts in half using yellow duct tape and suggesting that fruits and vegetable be placed in the front of the cart. That second trick boosted average produce sales from $3.99 to $8.85.