One of the reasons why I love to menu plan is that it really helps to limit the unplanned purchases that occur at the supermarket, compared to when I go without a planned comprehensive list. There always seem to be items jumping out and calling me to buy them. If I have my list though, I tend to stick to it and whiz around the aisles quite quickly.
It then didn’t surprise me when I was reading the Good Weekend Magazine from The Age on the weekend, and I came across the fact that comparing the percentage of planned vs unplanned purchases is often used by companies to measure their success.
In supermarkets, for example, 70 to 75 per cent of the money spent involves an unplanned purchase,
- (Retail expert Charles Areni from University of Sydney)
Areni made this point in an article on Ikea titled “Out Of The Box” where he also comments:
That’s why Ikea’s laid out as it is. Most retailers will say, “The longer I can keep somebody in my store and the more merchandise I can get them to walk by, the more money I can make per customer.”
I am going to remember this next time I wheel my trolley past a brightly set up promotional display at the end of the aisle, and ask myself the questions “Is it on my list? Do I really need this or is it the retailer just trying to nab another unplanned purchase from me?”
Now to the family menu plan for the week:
Monday: Moroccan Minted Beef
Baking: Rice Bubble Treat
Tuesday: Satay Chicken with Cous Cous
Wednesday: Sausage and Vegetables
Thursday: Tuna Rice
Friday: Home Made Pizza
Saturday: Left Overs
Sunday: Chicken Lasagna
For more menu planning ideas head on over to Laura’s place at “I’m an Organizing Junkie“.