Trolleys help retailers to muscle in on sales

Indeed, the handles literally cause us to flex our shopping muscles. Zachary Estes

It is usually the offers at supermarket checkouts that lead to unplanned purchases.

But now shopping trolleys could influence our buying decisions.

A study has found that removing the horizontal bar used to push a trolley and adding handles like a wheelbarrow’s could increase retailers’ sales by around 25 per cent.

Researchers from City, University of London and the University of Innsbruck, in Austria, have tested a new design based on the psychology study. They say their research proves that “triceps activation is associated with rejecting things we don’t like — for example, when we push or hold something away from us — while biceps activation is associated with things we do like — for example, when we pull or hold something close to our body”.

Of 2359 shoppers surveyed, those using the new trolley bought more products and spent over 25 per cent more than with the standard design — £22 ($43) and £29 ($56), respectively.

The findings indicate that retailers could boost their profits by providing trolleys with parallel handles, while consumers are likely to exercise more control over their spending if they use the standard design. Mathias Streicher, assistant professor in strategic management, marketing and tourism at the University of Innsbruck, who patented the design, spoke to manufacturers Wanzl and Systec and Austrian retailer MPreis, “all of whom have expressed interest”, he said.

Study co-author Zachary Estes, professor of marketing at City’s Bayes Business School, added: “Indeed, the handles literally cause us to flex our shopping muscles.”