Delicious food, guaranteed quality, food safety… are the top criteria we set when shopping for food for our families. However, not every store or supermarket meets these criteria. They have many ways to try to push away products that are overstocked, close to expiration, or no longer fresh… Therefore, you should be aware of these tricks to become a smart consumer:
Avoid buying repackaged items
Pre-packaged food can be contaminated, torn, or close to expiration, and what retailers do is repackage the product to make it look newer. They may fix this by slicing it, removing any damaged or contaminated parts. Besides, the expiration date on the packaging is also changed. Therefore, when buying food, it is best not to choose these repackaged items.
Do not buy repackaged food products, as they may not be of good quality (Illustration)
Be careful with fast food counters
In supermarkets and stores nowadays, there are many areas selling ready-to-eat fast food. The salads and meals displayed on the counter may seem tempting, but they do not truly reflect the quality of the food. When buying pre-made salads, pay attention to salads with a lot of garlic and spices or fresh herbs. When choosing a salad, remember that salads with meat or fish expire faster than vegetable salads. Salads with dressing are safer than those with mayonnaise.
Check the condition of the packaging
This visual observation is very simple but helps you make better choices for the products you buy. If the product packaging is damaged, crushed, or deformed, it can affect the quality inside. It may be the result of improper storage, transportation, low-quality batches, or even expired products.
Do not choose products with damaged packaging as it may affect the product quality (Illustration)
Be cautious with shiny and glossy food items
It will be very tempting if the food looks beautiful and vibrant, indicating freshness and good taste. However, when they have an “extraordinary appearance,” they may have been “enhanced” with artificial colors, dyes, or stimulants. That is not good for your health. Prioritize choosing food with the most natural colors and within the expiration date, rather than being attracted to shiny and glamorous items.
Prioritize choosing food with the most natural colors and within the expiration date, rather than being attracted to shiny and glamorous items (Illustration)
Check the merchandise carefully, don’t be deceived by attractive displays
Stores always know how to make their products look beautiful, as perfect as possible. With food products, stores use lighting to make the product shine, making it more attractive and appetizing. But do not let your intuition deceive you, do not rush to pick up the products you just saw, but examine them carefully.
Check the food carefully before buying, instead of just looking at it through the counter (Illustration)
For example, trays of meat displayed in glass cases, ask the staff to show it to you in normal lighting and temperature. Another note, many people think that they should not buy trays of meat with dried tops because they think it has been stored for a long time. But in fact, the store staff understands this psychology, they will make the meat look moist by spraying water on it. Then the meat you buy will not be tasty at all.
Observe the entire shelf before buying
In supermarkets, the most expensive products are usually displayed in conspicuous, easily visible, and reachable positions. Therefore, if you quickly pick up the products you just saw, you may end up buying similar products but at a higher price. Moreover, products close to expiration are also displayed in these prominent positions.
Seek advice from store employees
Of course, in some cases, sales staff will say attractive things about the product to persuade you to buy. However, after a brief conversation, you may notice these signals. In addition, some employees cannot lie, and they are very stressed when communicating with customers, which helps you obtain accurate information and make a decision on whether to buy that product or not.
Source: Thoidaiplus.giadinh.net.vn
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