Just like any other business, grocery stores have a lot to hide, especially from their
customers. So here are 10 Secrets Grocery Stores Don't Want You To Know!
Small Creatures Are All-Around
We've talked about how important it is to wash your produce because of all the wayward
travelers that might inhabit your favorite brand of bananas. But what about the little
buddies that are permanent residents in the store? As it turns out, grocery stores tend
to have some kind of animal presence. Whether it's a rodent problem, a roach infestation
in aisle 1, or flies flooding the back storeroom, grocery stores do not have immunity when it
comes to unwanted visitors. In fact, chances are, they probably have way more than almost
any other business. You might not necessarily see them crawling or flying freely around
the store, but that doesn't mean that they don't have a strong underground presence.
According to a former employee, the area under the aisle shelves is usually full of
surprises - and not the good kind. If you do see them during the daylight, that's when
you should start being concerned and even reconsider switching to a different grocery
store - the problem might be worse than you think. Mice running around, spreading germs
and bacteria, or the simple thought of knowing a roach might have touched the lid of that
can of soda you're about drink should be another good reason why you should wash your stuff!
Always Clean Your Stuff
With the pandemic ravaging our lives for over a year, we all drastically changed many routines
in our lives - including more serious and responsible cleaning and sanitizing. In this
day and age, it makes sense that you should always - always - clean your groceries, but
even after this sanitary crisis passes, this is one practice that should not be abandoned.
Let's just say grocery stores aren't the cleanest of places. Former employees have warned and
advised customers to always thoroughly wash anything they buy at a grocery store. Like,
produce, for instance. It's not uncommon that bugs - little or big - can set up camp in
your fruits or vegetable before they're cleaned. And, even if and when they're cleaned, some
are pretty resilient. Spiders, earwigs, and various little insects can sometimes be found
in your bananas, lettuce, and even cauliflower. The best way to ensure they're all gone? Give
them a big, long wash before you eat them. But bugs aren't the only reason you should
wash your produce. It's also to avoid all the chemicals, potential food-borne illnesses,
and bacteria lurking around. Oh, and that's not even considering all the other people
who touched your apple before you bought it. Just think, everything on the shelves has
had at least 5 employees touch it already, plus countless customers. So, if you're feeling
a little germaphobic right about now, maybe make it a habit of rinsing everything.
Be Wary Of The Meat
You know how we just talked about the huge ecological footprint grocery stores have?
Well, this next secret might be one step closer to fixing that, but another in the "ew" direction.
As a way to reduce the inevitable waste of unsold meat, grocery stores have found a way
to "recycle" said meat. "Recycling" and "meat" should probably never be in the same sentence,
and yet, it is a thing. Employees have advised people to choose their meats very carefully
and not to wait too long before cooking it as stores have a tendency to keep the old
meat for longer than they're supposed to. For example, those tasty-looking marinated
kabobs are usually some old meat that didn't sell and is being reused. Not saying that
those meats are bad, just maybe not as fresh as they would like you to think. Another fun
meaty fact: the same old meat that was about to go bad was probably mixed in with some
ground beef and made into sausages. It might be their way of minimizing food waste, and
while they have a point, it's still not too appetizing. And if that wasn't enough, ripped
meat packages left on shelves usually get resold, just in new packaging. The moral of
the story is: you never know what kind of meat you're going to get.
Not A Lot Is Cleaned Often
One of the points that has been stressed the most over the course of this list of secrets
is how not-so-clean grocery stores really are. From the little creatures roaming around
the store to questionable meat, you have to be very careful, whatever you buy. But, at
the end of the day, it all comes down to the final step of your shopping experience, the
conveyor belt. The apparently very dirty and rarely cleaned conveyor belt. According to
many former employees, these belts might just be the dirtiest thing in the whole store.
The cashiers don't have a lot of free time to clean them, and even if they do their best
to keep it as clean as possible, it's never going to be completely free of germs. And
even so, belts are so porous, you could scrub them day and night, but never get them fully
clean. This is why you probably shouldn't ever put loose produce - produce not in
a plastic bag - on the belt - especially not on busy days. Just think about everything
that's been on it: leaking raw meat juices, milk, sticky spots, seafood water, and so
much more that flies under the radar. The best advice? Clean everything that touches
that belt; better to be safe than sorry!
Pre-Cut Is Not Worth It
Since we all live busy lives, it's nice to know that there are ways for us to make our
days a little easier. However, sometimes, cutting corners might not be to your advantage
- at least, not when it comes to cutting vegetables. A lot of people resort to buying pre-chopped
fruits and veggies to save some preparation time. While, in theory, it sounds like the
perfect solution, it turns out that the price of convenience isn't at all cheap. Sure, they
are equally nutritious and contain all the same stuff as the regular, uncut ones, but
you might be paying way more than you realize. It only takes a couple of minutes to properly
wash and cut your vegetables, but if you opt for the pre-cut version, not only are you
getting a smaller portion for a much higher price, but you're also usually getting a less
fresh product. Another downside to the pre-cut produce packages? A higher risk of contamination. About
half of all foodborne illnesses in the U.S. stem from fresh produce contaminated with
salmonella, E. coli, or listeria. The more the product is handled, the greater the chance
of becoming contaminated. And, to top everything off, the pre-cut produce has a shorter shelf-life
and comes with a lot of plastic packaging. In conclusion, if it only takes five minutes
to prepare, save the convenience and save the money and buy the whole thing.
Fresh Or Thawed Bread?
Speaking of products that are not as fresh as you thought, it's time to talk about those
tempting baked goods from the bakery we mentioned before - unfortunately. Now, this next fact
might not be true for every grocery store, but it sure isn't a small minority. Your local grocery
store might advertise its bread, pastries, and everything from its bakery as freshly
made in-house, but there is a high chance that it's all just a bunch of lies. Most of
the time, everything comes in frozen, and all they have to do is thaw it out and warm
it up for you. Yea, that enticing smell comes across a little differently now, right? Nothing
is made from scratch. Most of the bakery items "made in-store" are just prepared using a
bunch of frozen dough. This "never fresh" mentality also applies to those pretty cakes
you see. They're all pre-made; all they do is put the icing and decorations on it. Feeling
betrayed, yet? A lot of people have stopped buying from the grocery store bakery for this
very reason, feeling like they had been paying for more than they were getting. So, next
time you're out at the grocery store, and you feel like buying a nice fresh loaf of
bread, consider going to a real bakery instead. You'll probably get more than your money's
worth there.
It's All About The Sale
Ever wonder why whenever you step foot into a grocery store, you sometimes have the sudden
urge to head straight to the bakery section and get everything on the shelf? Well, there's
quite an easy explanation for this, and it all goes back to strategic placement. We know
how items are placed on the shelves with a very specific goal, the same goes for the
in-house bakery. Bakeries are usually situated right by the door, making it the first thing
you see - and smell. The smell part is very important in this case. According to grocery
stores, the comforting smell of freshly baked bread activates salivary glands, puts people
in a good mood, and pushes them to go straight to the goods. Kind of like the pie on the
window sill in every cartoon. High-margin items like bread are meant to be seen first,
and in almost every case, the bakery is the first destination. The same thing goes for
flowers. They smell great and inspire happiness in most people, which is why they're always
right at the entrance, arranged in a nice, inviting way. As hard as it may be to resist
the temptation, during your next grocery run, instead of caving in to the delicious smell
of bread, make it your last stop. Go buy all of your essentials, and only then, if you've
still got the urge, swing by the flower and bakery departments on the way out. Your wallet
will thank you.
Strategic Placing
The first thing you need to know about grocery stores is that nothing is random. Everything
has a specific purpose, and everything has its own designated spot on the shelves. From
the perkiest apples on top to the most expensive bag of rice, grocery stores make sure you
see what they want you to see first, all the while being sneaky about it. You've probably
heard the phrase "eye-level is buy-level" at some point in your life - it's pretty self-explanatory,
really. Grocery stores will usually put the most expensive items, like the most popular
brands, right at eye level or just below, while the generic store brands will be put
lower or at the very top. Why is that? It's because people tend to buy the first thing
that catches their attention. The more visible a product, the higher the sales are likely
to be. This has been proven with children and sweet, sugary cereals. These are usually
on the bottom shelves - exactly where kids can easily spot them. Where these products
are placed in the grocery store is also crucial and never left up to chance. Usually, goods
placed at the beginning of an aisle won't sell well. The customer needs to adjust to
being in a new section so it can take a little time before they decide what to buy. Next
time you're at a grocery store, don't forget to look up, down, left, and right to make
sure you're not missing out on some really good deals.
They Produce A Ton Of Waste
It shouldn't come as a surprise that grocery stores don't exactly have the most upstanding
ecological footprint. We have all become more and more conscious of this issue and have
tried to do what we can to minimize waste while grocery shopping. For example, by bringing
your own reusable bags and avoiding unnecessary packaging as much as possible. However, more
often than not, the problem comes from the grocery store itself. Basically, no matter
how much effort you put into trying to be less wasteful, it will pretty much be negated
by the amount of waste the store produces. Obviously, it also depends on what store you
go to. Some will recycle practically everything and do their best to keep their carbon footprint
to a minimum, while others couldn't care less about any of it. Most of the waste has a lot
to do with the "sell by” and “expiration" date. Of course, grocery stores cannot sell
anything that has exceeded the "sell by" date, meaning that everything that isn't sold will
end up in the trash since they are not allowed to donate it. The truth is, many products
can be perfectly safe and good to eat up to three weeks past the "sell by" date. There's
gotta be a better way.
The Music Is Not Random
Again, grocery stores never leave anything to chance. They always make sure that every
tiny detail is considered to ensure that you spend the most money. Forget the product placement;
this is a whole new level of subtle manipulation. Grocery stores will play specific music that
will have a desirable effect on the customers. Have you ever paid attention to the music
while you were shopping? Was it an upbeat dance playlist? Rock music? Or more like some
kind of "elevator" music? Chances are, it was probably the last of the choices. You
see, stores will play a mix of soft, classical, and nostalgic music, not because the guy with
the aux cord has a soft spot for this kind of music, but for a very specific reason.
It's all about getting the customers as relaxed as possible and ready to buy. The whole point
of this carefully-planned playlist is to calm customers and slow them down. Music with a
slow rhythm tends to make you move slower, meaning you spend more time in the store,
and the more time you spend in the store, the more likely you are to buy more than originally
intended. This technique is also used in restaurants. Making people feel more at ease and relaxed
means they will often order more than one dish - and stay for dessert. It's all about
good business, really.
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