10 Grocery Store Scams That People Finally Caught On To
These once-common supermarket tricks fooled shoppers for years — until they didn’t.
- Chris Graciano
- 2 min read
Supermarkets are designed to make you spend more, and for years, they got away with sneaky pricing and misleading packaging. However, savvy shoppers have gotten wise to many of the tricks that once flew under the radar. Here are 10 grocery store scams that people eventually saw through — and aren’t falling for anymore.
1. Shrinkflation
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You’re paying the same price or more for less product. Brands subtly shrink package sizes while keeping the cost unchanged.
2. “Buy One, Get One Free” Gimmicks
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Sometimes, stores inflate the price of one item to make the “free” one seem like a deal. You end up paying nearly full price for both.
3. Misleading Unit Pricing
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Some stores display prices per ounce or pound to help compare items, but they mix units to confuse shoppers. One item may be priced per pound, while the other is priced per 100 grams.
4. “Organic” Doesn’t Always Mean Better
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Just because it says “organic” doesn’t mean it’s healthier or worth the markup. Many products use the label to justify higher prices without much added value.
5. Loyalty Card “Discounts”
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Some discounts only apply with a store card, but the “regular” price is often artificially high. These savings are designed more to gather your data than to save you money.
6. Eye-Level Product Placement
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Big brands pay to have their products placed at eye level, where you’re most likely to grab them. The cheaper, generic alternatives are usually placed lower or higher.
7. “Limited Time” Labels
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These urgency tactics are used to promote products that aren’t selling well. Seasonal or “limited edition” labels can trick you into impulse buying.
8. Bulk Isn’t Always Cheaper
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Buying in bulk sounds smart, but sometimes the per-unit price is actually higher. Stores know shoppers assume they’re getting more for less.
9. Sale Signs on Full-Priced Items
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Bright tags and bold fonts make regular prices appear to be on sale. Some stores employ this visual trick to boost sales without actually offering a discount.
10. Checkout Lane Temptations
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Sugary snacks, overpriced batteries, and last-minute “deals” crowd the checkout. This is classic impulse-buy territory. Shoppers now know these are rarely the best value — and often just clutter their carts.