It's time to add one more item to the grocery cart of classic food-shopping tips that include eating beforehand and making a shopping list. According to a study by researchers at New Mexico State University, a small modification to shopping carts encouraged shoppers to buy more fruits and veggies.
What was the trick? Researchers placed yellow tape along the width of a cart, dividing it into two halves. One half was designated for fruits and vegetables, while the other was for all other items. And, like magic, more people bought fruits and vegetables over candy bars and other junk food.
It's a simple enough trick, like food budgeting, but with a visual cue. Although I suspect that, in time, people would start to ignore that yellow line, I'm keeping an open mind. I plan on doing this the next time I shop, and I will report back -- both on my results and the amusing stares I am likely to receive.
Presh Talwalkar studied economics and mathematics at Stanford, and he writes a blog about game theory
What was the trick? Researchers placed yellow tape along the width of a cart, dividing it into two halves. One half was designated for fruits and vegetables, while the other was for all other items. And, like magic, more people bought fruits and vegetables over candy bars and other junk food.
It's a simple enough trick, like food budgeting, but with a visual cue. Although I suspect that, in time, people would start to ignore that yellow line, I'm keeping an open mind. I plan on doing this the next time I shop, and I will report back -- both on my results and the amusing stares I am likely to receive.
Presh Talwalkar studied economics and mathematics at Stanford, and he writes a blog about game theory
