by Jennifer L. Thompson

Created on: April 10, 2011   Last Updated: December 04, 2011

A trip to the grocery store may seem routine from the shopper’s point of view. However, your grocer has put a lot of work into making this routine a profitable one. Tricks of the trade are abundant, though many shoppers are still blissfully unaware of them. This is what the industry counts on.

So, to help you become more aware, and thus to help you save more money, and maybe even improve your health, here are five secrets your grocer doesn’t want you to know.

Secret #1: Fresh doesn’t always mean it’s fresh

Fresh bread and baked goods are some of the culprits of this secret. Fresh bread is sometimes frozen, and is merely freshly thawed for your dining pleasure. Employees who look like chefs may not be anything more than bread stockers, taking things from the freezer, thawing them, then putting those lovely loaves on the shelf.

Secret #2: Ewwwww!

A grocery cart carries more germs than a public toilet. Be sure to use those sanitary wipes if your grocer provides them!

Produce has been handled by too many people to be anything but germy, be sure to wash it before you eat it. What’s more, exotic produce doesn’t sell as quickly as more common produce and may be old, so be sure to examine it thoroughly.

Food in a deli may be made from food from the shelves that is about to expire, and may not be kept at safe temperatures. Look for thermometers that show foods are kept at a safe temperature of 41 degrees Fahrenheit for cold foods, and 135 degrees Fahrenheit for hot foods. When in doubt, ask.

Secret #3: Specials aren’t always so special

A 10 for 10 special is just as special if you only buy two. In other words, you will still get two for the same price each as you would if you bought 10. These sales are still designed for you to spend more money, and they still work.

Secret #4: Stores are designed to help you buy something

There is a reason the milk is at the back of the store and all those attractive little extras are at the checkout lines. Stores are literally designed with you, the consumer in mind. Did you forget that you needed something else that you’d see on your way to the milk? Why, yes, and you’ll be so glad you saw it and remembered to get it. Your little one will be just as glad that you nabbed that extra candy bar while you were waiting in the checkout line.

Secret #5: Open to negotiation

Have you ever tried to strike a deal with your grocer? Well, it just might work under the right circumstances. Check with the department manager if you find something that is about to expire, and you might just get a better deal. He may be more likely to sell it, even if at rock bottom prices, rather than to have to throw it out.

Sources:

Adam Bluestein and Lauren Gniazdowski, 13 Things Your Grocer Won’t Tell You, Reader’s Digest

Savvy-Discounts, ABC TV The View: 17 Secrets That Your Grocer Doesn’t Want You to Know

Debra Ronca, 10 Things Your Grocer Doesn’t Want You to Know, TLC Cooking

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