PITTSBURGH -- It's no secret that grocery stores arrange items a certain way so customers will be more likely to buy them.
But Call 4 Action reporter Aaron Saykin said
where you ring up purchases might determine how much the trip to the supermarket ends up costing you.
According to Consumer Reports, there's a tried-and-true method to help cut back on some of those discretionary purchases -- and it's apparently good for your health, too.
Many supermarkets have self-checkout registers, where customers do the scanning and bagging themselves. It may seem like a hassle sometimes.
But Consumer Reports cites a study that shows women decreased their impulse purchases by 32 percent and men by about 16 percent just by using a self-checkout register.
List: 13 ways to save at the supermarket The same study suggests women could lose up to four pounds a year and men could lose up to three pounds by not purchasing checkout items, because of all the junk food up front.
"I know better. I don't even look at it," said shopper Bob May, who uses the self-checkout lane.
A regular register with a checker is surrounded by sugary drinks, snacks, magazines and gift cards. It's all right in your line of sight while you wait for items to be rung up.
Saykin went to a Pittsburgh grocery store on Thursday and watched shoppers waiting in regular lines pull items off the shelves. Some took magazines to read, while others went right for the accessories.
In the self-checkout aisles, there's usually little or nothing like that.
"If I see something that was a lot more than I thought it would be, I will take it off, so even decisions are made at the checkout when you do self-checkout," said shopper Natalie Bulera.
"I think not taking your children to the grocery store helps out too," said shopper Marcie Giovengo, who uses the self-checkout lane.
Buying checkout items isn't the only money drain at the market. Consumer Reports warns about a host of bad habits, including buying groceries positioned at the ends of the aisles.
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