Can choosing or avoiding a particular time to go grocery shopping really affect the cost and type of products we buy? Apparently so, and it's not just popular wisdom, but science supports it: actual studies have shown that not all times are the same.
According to a study conducted by researchers at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, going to the supermarket at a certain time rather than another can make a real difference: above all, it allows you to resist the many temptations you encounter, thus leading you to buy fewer unnecessary items dictated only by a momentary desire and not by true necessity. It's clear that the research refers to a situation in which you have no particular commitments and the whole day available to go grocery shopping, while it's more difficult to implement if you work all day or have many commitments and are therefore forced to choose a certain time just because it's free.
In any case, it is always good to be more aware of the mechanisms that move us, even in a seemingly trivial situation like going to the grocery store, and so here are some scientific suggestions on the best and worst times to go to the supermarket.
The Study
The researchers' research was based on an attempt to understand people's purchasing habits at the supermarket and involved a sample of approximately 70-80 adults. The study began by requiring participants to fast for at least five hours before leaving home to go to the supermarket. When leaving home, half of the people had the opportunity to consume a hunger-busting snack, while half went shopping on an empty stomach.
Once at the supermarket, the researchers studied the behaviors of both groups: both groups purchased eight low-calorie food items (dairy, meat, and healthy snacks), but those who weren't full also added six high-calorie items to their shopping, compared to four for those who were full. What's more, they also found that the ratio of high-calorie to low-calorie foods was "healthier" between 1:00 PM and 4:00 PM than between 4:00 PM and 7:00 PM.
The Results
The study wasn't a random experiment, but a way to analyze people's psychology using a common setting and habit: grocery shopping and the supermarket. What did the researchers learn from all this? The time and circumstances in which you go shopping really do influence what you buy and, consequently, how much you spend.
Essentially, a clear pattern of time slots has emerged when it's best or worst to shop. The best time slot, in which to save money and buy healthier foods, is between 1:00 PM and 4:00 PM, while it's best to avoid the 12:00 PM and 1:00 PM slots and the 4:00 PM and 7:00 PM slots, because these are the times when we're hungriest and therefore when we're most tempted to buy more sweets and processed foods.
In general, researchers recommend always going grocery shopping on a full stomach, as this will reduce the desire to buy extra (and not always healthy) foods, which will also lower the final cost of the shopping.
Other Facts to Consider
The scientific study is based on a small sample of people and primarily takes into account the hunger variable, but there are other factors you need to consider if you want to choose the perfect time to go grocery shopping (regardless, as already highlighted, of your personal needs) and also the best day.
You should consider, for example, traffic : some time slots are certainly more convenient for most people and therefore will be more tiring to do the shopping; specifically, the busiest time slots, which should be avoided if possible, are 9:00-10:00, 1:00-3:00PM, and 5:00-6:00PM.
Another factor to consider is the offers, which vary throughout the day. For example, many supermarkets dedicate certain days of the week to discounts for specific groups of people (a very common one is pensioners), while others try to sell off leftover fresh produce in the late afternoon or evening to avoid waste, especially baked goods, but not only: you can find them at more than 50% off.
Speaking of discounts: many grocery stores launch new promotions at the beginning of the week, so Mondays and Tuesdays could be good days to find discounted products and save some money on the final cost of your shopping.
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