In the pharmaceutical aisles, I found 61 varieties of suntan oil and sunblock, and 80 different pain relievers — aspirin, acetaminophen, ibuprofen; 350 milligrams or 500 milligrams; caplets, capsules, and tablets; coated or uncoated. There were 40 options for toothpaste, 150 lipsticks, 75 eyeliners, and 90 colors of nail polish from one brand alone. There were 116 kinds of skin cream, and 360 types of shampoo, conditioner, gel, and mousse. Next to them were 90 different cold remedies and decongestants. Finally, there was dental floss: waxed and unwaxed, flavored and unflavored, offered in a variety of thicknesses.

Returning to the food shelves, I could choose from among 230 soup offerings, including 29 different chicken soups. There were 16 varieties of instant mashed potatoes, 75 different instant gravies, 120 different pasta sauces. Among the 175 different salad dressings were 16 “Italian” dressings, and if none of them suited me, I could choose from 15 extra-virgin olive oils and 42 vinegars and make my own. There were 275 varieties of cereal, including 24 oatmeal options and 7 “Cheerios” options. Across the aisle were 64 different kinds of barbecue sauce and 175 types of tea bags.

http://www.usatoday.com/life/books/excerpts/2004-01-16-paradox-choice_x.htm

That’s why I shop at Trader Joes

What is also worth noting about grocery store shelves is product location. Usually, name-brand items appear on the eye-level shelves, while more economical products appear way down near the floor. Brand managers give all sorts of promotions to stores to help ensure such advantageous product placement.

Oh, and speaking of product placement, have you ever noticed that many clothing stores display their inventory by size…with the smallest sizes on high shelves and largest sizes on low shelves? I once pointed this out to a store clerk and, even after I pointed out the problem, she just didn’t seem to understand the absurdity of their practice.

But back to the original topic: the sheer number of ‘choices’ involved in getting even simple products probably causes us to waste a lot of time at a given grocery store unless we already know exactly what sub-type we’re looking for (or are willing to accept).
Of course, the more time we spend in a grocery store, the more likely we are to happen to see something that looks good and make an impulse purchase. I don’t know how many times I’ve ended up buying crackers or donuts because my friends are indecisive and I’m waiting for them to finish shopping, and then I see the snack section…

Shampoo: Can you actually tell the difference between hair washed with some particular “best”, and hair washed with what is cheapest? I never could.

One pays a premium for simple choices. I ate health-food store bulk peanut butter for a while. Ground at the store, and nothing added. Now I eat organic roasted almond butter, instead. The price is comparable, and I prefer the taste. But it took me 40 years to come to a final answer. Before I found “healthy” peanut butter, it was always what was cheap.

Peanut butter, like chlorine bleach, is a matter of market over needs. These two products were what marketing people came up with to collect money for disposing of a waste product. Peanuts were planted mainly to restore nitrogen to depleted fields back before WWII. Chlorine (sodium hypochlorite) is a major industrial byproduct, volatile and toxic. We buy it to make surfaces dead quickly, and temporarily. It also bleaches.

Speaking of bleach, take a look at the laundry aisle. An entire aisle of soaps and whiteners.

This absurdity goes even further when you consider the myriad kinds of candies in existence! I can think of about a dozen different types of Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups alone. But I suppose we all get the picture at this point.

Marketing people know that people want the illusion of choice. When the choice isn’t real, then they manufacture apparent differences to widen the appeal.

Consider something as basic as milk. It used to come whole in bottles. Then The choice of homogenized and cream-on-top. Then skim. Then they branched out the amounts of fat to skim, 1/2%, 1%, 2% and whole, plus half-and-half (10%), light Cream (20%) and heavy cream (40%). Add vitamins. Now choose how organic: With or without hormones. Fed on grass or grain. Organic grain? Free range or dairy barn? California organic, or just USDA organic? Local dairy or long distance?