LESSON
3
Interpret signal words
READING
GET READY
Alina is reading an article about supermarket shopping. Check [
✓
] the things you do to
prepare for a trip to the supermarket.
read a sale circular
have a snack
make a shopping list
find coupons
compare store prices
go to the store website
READ
Listen and read the article. Why do shoppers need to be careful
when shopping at a supermarket?
Teresa Villanueva is eating an apple
and studying supermarket circulars. A
professional shopper, she plans her store
visits carefully. “The way to save money is
to always have a plan,” says Teresa. “First,
find out what’s on sale. Then make a list of
what you need. Buy only the things on your
list.” Even Teresa’s apple is part of the plan.
“Before shopping, I eat a snack so that
I’m not hungry in the store. Believe me,
those candy bars in the checkout line are
much harder to resist on an empty
stomach!” According to Teresa, every
part of a supermarket is designed to make
you buy more than you need. We may call
these practices “tricks,” but stores call them
“merchandising.” To illustrate, here are a
few more tricks that supermarkets don’t
want you to know about:
Locating the floral and bakery departments
near the entrance.
“It’s no accident that
you see flowers and smell baking bread
when you enter the store,” says Teresa.
“These pleasant sensations put you in the
mood to spend money.”
Keeping everyday items in the back of the
store.
“How often have you gone into a
store for an essential item such as bread,
only to leave with a full bag of groceries?
Stores know that customers will put more
food in their baskets as they walk to the
back of the store.”
Placing the most expensive items at eye
level.
“People reach for products that are
closer to their eyes and hands. If you want
to save money, look on the bottom or top
shelves. That’s where the bargains are.”
5 for $5 sale pricing.
“Many shoppers don’t
realize they’ll get the sale price even if they
buy only one item. So they buy more than
they need.”
Super-sizing the shopping carts.
“People
tend to stop shopping when their cart is
full. By increasing the cart size,
supermarkets keep shoppers in the store.”
120
UNIT 9
