I think Aldi is so successful in the US because they don't do this. There is an aisle or two with random crap, and seasonal items in another spot, but I can be in and out with everything I went for in ten minutes. Trader Joe's might do this too, I haven't been to one in a long time. I wonder if Whole Foods or the other upscale stores fuck around with their shoppers like that.
Smaller grocery chains or independent grocers didnt change their store layouts from what I remember, but they went under or were bought out by the big chains that are already very profitable but still try to wring everything they can out of their captive audience.
We have Ikea in the UK , which is a single track that meanders through the store. It forces you through every aisle. There are exits and shortcuts built into to it, but they do not make them obvious. I absolutely refuse to shop there. The few times I have been in the store has always left me angry for wasting my time.
I think Aldi is so successful in the US because they don't do this. There is an aisle or two with random crap, and seasonal items in another spot, but I can be in and out with everything I went for in ten minutes. Trader Joe's might do this too, I haven't been to one in a long time. I wonder if Whole Foods or the other upscale stores fuck around with their shoppers like that.
Smaller grocery chains or independent grocers didnt change their store layouts from what I remember, but they went under or were bought out by the big chains that are already very profitable but still try to wring everything they can out of their captive audience.
We have Ikea in the UK , which is a single track that meanders through the store. It forces you through every aisle. There are exits and shortcuts built into to it, but they do not make them obvious. I absolutely refuse to shop there. The few times I have been in the store has always left me angry for wasting my time.