The appeal of "sad and lonely" bananas for buyers has been scientifically validated.

In some supermarkets, you may find signs near the banana displays encouraging customers to buy and "save from loneliness" the bananas that have been detached from their bunches. This strategy is part of an effort by retail chains to reduce food waste that would otherwise be sent for disposal. A recent study in Germany confirmed that this approach with "lonely" bananas is effective and revealed the factors that influence sales.

2024-12-04 10:00:48https://naked-science.ru/article/psy/grustny-i-odinoki-banan

Marketers have long understood that anthropomorphism, which involves attributing human qualities and abilities to inanimate objects, can enhance the appeal of products to potential buyers.

This approach is utilized in various promotional campaigns, including the sale of single bananas that result from transportation or when excess bananas are detached from a bunch. Signs displaying information about the promotion often feature text about the "loneliness" of the banana. Additionally, images are used where eyes and a mouth are drawn on the banana, expressing either a happy or sad emotion.

Previously, there had been no studies to determine which of these options was more effective. To investigate this, specialists in economics and business from the University of Bath (UK) and two German universities (Goethe University Frankfurt and RWTH Aachen University) took on the task. An article detailing their collaborative research was published in the journal Psychology & Marketing.

The experiment was conducted in one of Germany's major retail chains. For eight days, the researchers monitored the sales of single bananas while changing the accompanying signs. Two signs featured a "happy" or "sad" banana, with the text stating: "We are happy (or sad) lonely bananas, and we also want to be bought." The third, control option was neutral and contained only the message: "Single bananas also want to be bought."

During the experiment, the researchers also observed customer behavior, recording their numbers and other significant variables.

Ultimately, it was found that "sad and lonely" bananas sold 58% better than in the control scenario: sales increased from 2.02 to 3.19 pieces per hour. In comparison, the "happy" version with the smiling banana only increased sales by 5.4%.

In a series of subsequent online studies, the researchers established that the "sad" option had a stronger effect because it elicited sympathy in people. Survey results also suggested that similar methods could be applied to single tomatoes that remain when tomatoes are sold in clusters on branches. Furthermore, it was discovered that the "sad" anthropomorphism technique is best not combined with discounts, as this combination can diminish the "compassionate" effect.

According to the authors of this new work, the results have practical implications, as they indicate to supermarkets an effective way to boost sales and reduce food waste. Previous research has shown that single bananas are one of the main types of food waste in retail.