Half-Carts: Partitioned or Divided Grocery Carts Lead to Greater Fruit and Vegetable Purchases in Supermarkets

Before food portions are determined at home, they are determined at the supermarket. Building on the notion of implied social norms, we propose that partitioning a shopping cart for targeted healthy foods (such as fruits and vegetables) may increase their sales. A concept test for on-line shopping (Study 1) suggests that partitions may be effective because they suggest purchase norms. An in-store study in a supermarket (Study 2) reinforces the potential power of partitioned carts by showing that most shoppers purchased fruits and vegetables in quantities that were in proportion to the size of their allocated partition within a shopping cart. Using divided shopping carts (such as half-carts) could be useful to retailers who want to sell more high-margin produce, but they could also be useful to consumers who, in order to shop healthier, can choose to divide their own shopping cart in half with their jacket, purse, or briefcase.