This archive report was first published on 26 August 2019.
Are you guilty of constantly checking your phone while shopping? You may want to think twice before doing so, as it could be costing you more of your hard-earned money than you think.
According to a recent study conducted by the University of Bath in the United Kingdom, shoppers who use their phones in the supermarket end up spending, on average, 41% more than those who don't.
Published on August 26, 2019, the study suggests that this may be due to the way our brains work when we're shopping. When we're faced with a vast array of products, our brains try to simplify the complexity by activating an internal autopilot, which acts as a kind of shopping script.
However, when we pick up our phones, our minds are forced to switch our attention from the shopping task to the phone, disrupting the autopilot and causing us to look at more products and spend more time in the store.
As a result, shoppers who check their phone while shopping tend to spend more money, with those who use their phones the most also tending to spend the most.
So, the next time you're at the supermarket, it may be best to keep your phone in your bag or pocket to avoid overspending.
