This small, seemingly innocuous everyday gesture makes you spend more when you go shopping

We already knew that it is better to avoid shopping on an empty stomach, to not to spend too much. Another habit, however insignificant, is to be avoided.

Managing your budget while shopping is not always easy. You have to be well organized and not give in to temptation. It is often advisable to make a list and plan your meals to limit impulse purchases and limit yourself to the sections you need. Comparing prices, even if it takes time, is essential. You also have to pay attention to promotions.

Another little tip for before shopping: you have to have eaten. Shopping on an empty stomach can push you to buy according to your desires and therefore more. Stéphanie Drieu, dietician nutritionist, ensures on France Bleu that being hungry while shopping leads to ending up with products that are not necessarily useful and rarely healthy. However, this is not the only bad habit that you need to break. A small daily gesture can also push you to spend. People who give in to it would spend 50% more and buy about 30% more items.

According to a study published in theJournal of Marketing, it is caffeine that, this time, has an effect on purchasing behavior. This research was conducted in several stores where customers were offered a free 50 ml espresso while others received water or a cup of decaffeinated coffee. When leaving, the researchers asked them for their receipt. They found that the consumption of this drink was associated with an increase in the number of items and therefore the shopping budget. People who had drunk coffee &;were also more likely to indulge in "guilty" purchases like chocolate.

The study attributes this behavior to the "exciting" effect of caffeine. "Caffeine, as a powerful stimulant, releases dopamine in the brain, which excites the mind and body. This leads to a "higher energy state, which in turn improves impulsivity. and decreases self-control,” says lead study author Dipayan Biswas. Even moderate coffee consumption may be enough to have an effect on spending.

“These findings are important for managers to understand how seemingly unrelated behavior (e.g., caffeine consumption) in and/or around the store affects spending,” the researchers say. The same experiment was replicated with online purchases and yielded similar results.