Grocery stores are overwhelming & confusing to men

by Rigel Celeste (Subscribe to Rigel Celeste's posts)
May 29th 2007 8:26AM

Is this true? Do men really have trouble and get confused in the grocery store? According to a new survey 71 percent of men have done some kind of shopping in the grocery store over the past three months (up from 41 percent back in 2002), and they aren't having an easy time of it. They have trouble finding things, are uncomfortable making substitution decisions, and (of course!) don't ask for help when they need it. And because they are so different from women in the way they shop, grocery stores (currently designed for women) often leave them feeling generally confused and even a little overwhelmed.

Unfortunately it's unlikely that stores will be making major changes anytime soon, since women still represent the majority of the shopping market. So, for now anyway, it looks like it's "sink or swim" guys! Good luck!

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Comments (111)

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 6)

jeff 6-01-2007 @ 7:55AM

OK....REALLY?
I have absolutely NO trouble with navigating ANY grocery store and am insulted by this story. There is NOTHING confusing or remotely even challenging about it. In fact, I can get in and out with every thing on my list before 99% of any woman shopping for the same items.
So there!

Gus 6-01-2007 @ 7:51AM

Unless your a dumb ass.

Laurie 6-02-2007 @ 9:23PM

this is priceless! you are SO incorrect in saying that a large percentage of men get confused and overwhelmed by the grocery store!!!

I am a mom of three and my husband would do our grocery shopping on many occasions. Not only would he get everything on my list, he'd bring home a few surprises for us too...AND he'd do all this while staying UNDER budget and in less time than it would have taken ME to do it! So there!

Men are just as capable as women when it comes to navigating the grocery store. This story truly angered me and is an insult to men everywhere!

Rod 6-01-2007 @ 8:29AM

GET A GRIP - It's only groceries - I seriously question the validity of the author's research on this.

John 6-01-2007 @ 8:44AM

I have gone shopping many times @ our local grocery & have never been "overwhelmed"...I HAVE had problems finding things @ times,but HAVE asked for directions & received prompt & courteous help in finding the items I need...I have an 18 month old daughter,and I QUICKLY learned where diapers,etc. were (aisle 8...lol)...Some small problems that still occur may be due to the store's layout or signage issues-our local grocery has different items mentioned on EACH end of EVERY aisle...DEFINITELY a signage issue...but ANYONE,man OR woman, can remember where staple items are located...Myself,I ALWAYS ask for help when I feel I need it...which is less often with each visit.

Karen 6-01-2007 @ 8:45AM

I believe it. When I was married, we invited a few friends over for dinner. I needed plain yogurt for a recipe, so I asked my hubby to run to the store. I specified the brand, told him it was in the dairy section. Practically drew a map. He brought home frozen vanilla yogurt. Most men are incapable of shopping.

Richard 6-01-2007 @ 8:53AM

I do most of the shopping and it's simple. Just go to the customer service and they will give you a scamatic of the store. In other words, a listing of the isles in the store and whats in them. My wife makes out the list from isle 1 thru whatever and lists the products in each isle. I never have to go back looking for anything. GET THE LIST FROM THE STORE!!

Lzy 6-01-2007 @ 8:53AM

My husband is perfectly capable of doing ALL the grocery shopping if he needed to! This article is very insulting to men. I would be appalled if say there was an article suggesting that women couldn't buy what they need at a hardware store because they were confused......

Rob 6-01-2007 @ 9:02AM

This article is ridiculous! I can spend less time, less money, and have everything I need for a week much better than my wife can. I do all of the shopping, cutting coupons, and menu planning for the week. This article may be for the few, but not for the masses.

Mark 6-01-2007 @ 9:06AM

I am a man. I enjoy cooking, hence I do most all of our grocery shopping for my family of six. My children are school age now but I did it taking my infant twins along -no problem. I actully enjoyed all the attention we would get.
Want to see confusion and incapability? Lets talk about women in the auto parts store, home center, hardware, or lumber yard!!!!

Lorenzo 6-01-2007 @ 9:10AM

This is such a crock!! I am a black man who has never married and never lived with a woman. So I have never had a woman do any grocery shopping for me. I been living on my own for over 12 years now and I go in, get what I need and get out. I don't ponder "do I need this or not". I don't "haggle" over the price" [unless I have budget myself]. No woman has ever done shopping for me and I do just fine. Not even my mom says "let me do that for you." If I was having a problem I am sure she would have noticed it and said something by now. So this article is totally flawed and therefore invalid. Toss it RIGHT out the window!

ed 6-01-2007 @ 9:11AM

Her husband brought home frozen vanilla yogurt when she had clearly specified plain yogurt. Her conclusion? Men are incapable of shopping. I guess this makes her feel better than the more logical conclusion that she chose to marry an idiot.

Neuticles 6-01-2007 @ 9:11AM

AOL must be desperate for material. This story is an insult to all men. It is NOT difficult to shop in a grocery store or any store. This is a stupid story.

suzanne 6-01-2007 @ 9:13AM

i remember when we had some family coming by for dinner and i was making turkey chili, we were out of turkey so i sent my husband to the store for more turkey for the chili and he came back with sliced turkey. LOL so funny!!

alice 6-01-2007 @ 9:13AM

All you wonderful, unusual men who CAN navigate the supermarket, thank you for your comments. However, this article is NOT about you. The majority of males do have problems in stores geared towards female clientele, as do most females in stores whose marketing schemes are directly aimed at men.
There is a science behind marketing, which combines esthetics, psychology and research. The whole idea for our entire society is to make you WANT something you don't already have. Believe me, they know what they're doing!
Research for stuff like this is legitimate. We always question it, because in our OWN world, it may not apply. YOU ARE NOT THE "MAJORITY," you are ONE person. Try to remember that when you get indignant about research tallies on the REST of your population!

alice 6-01-2007 @ 9:19AM

Besides, those men whose minds aren't geared toward cooking or shopping for the kitchen are NOT going to bother reading this article or responding to it. Naturally, the ones who are answering are the ones who are concerned, therefore inflamed, by the article!
(more pschology)

Dixie Normus 6-01-2007 @ 9:20AM

Karen, isn't it possible that your husband is just a fucking idiot? And Lorenzo are you gay or just very lonely?

Dave 6-01-2007 @ 9:22AM

Being a man, I have to agree with most of the people who responded, I have been going grocery shopping for 25 years now, since I was 18, and have no problems doing this.