New research suggests near-expiry discounts can accidentally make buyers worry about how other people will judge them.

I’ve occasionally bought meat or some other perishable product with one of those bright stickers:

“ENJOY TONIGHT & SAVE 30%!”

If I’m going to cook it that evening anyway, great. Right?

BUT… I’ve also caught myself wanting to peel that sticker OFF before anyone in my family sees it.

Apparently, I’m worried they’ll think one of two things:

Laurier is a cheap-ass.

Or Laurier is tryin‘ to poison us.

New research in the Journal of Retailing suggests the first concern, at least, is surprisingly common.

Across seven studies, including an Implicit Association Test, controlled experiments and a field experiment, researchers found that people tend to stereotype buyers of near-expiry products as stingy. 

And here’s the bit retailers should pay attention to:

Discounting can make the problem WORSE.

The researchers found that price discounts amp up the stereotype because observers infer that the buyer chose the near-expiry product primarily to save money.

That says price-consciousness, which gets translated into stinginess.

So that fluorescent SAVE 30% sticker is doin‘ double-duty.

It’s giving me a rational reason to buy the steak.

AND giving me a social reason to leave it right there. Walk away from the meat!

The researchers found another fascinating clue: resistance decreased when the purchase was private.

In other words, part of the barrier definitely isn’t the product.

It’s being SEEN buying the damn thing.

That creates a much more interesting marketing problem than finding a bigger discount.

The researchers tested reframing the choice around desirable characteristics. Presenting near-expiry purchasing as environmentally responsible reduced negative reactions.

So did positioning the buyer as a smart consumer. 

Instead of:

30% OFF. EXPIRING SOON.

How about:

RESCUE THIS STEAK. Enjoy tonight and save 30%.

Same steak.

The very same expiry date.

And the exact same discount.

But NOW lookit-me rescuing perfectly good food from unnecessary waste while making a smart purchase!

One of the ideas I explore in I Need That is that buying decisions include far more than the functional attributes of the product. We also consider what our choices communicate about us.

That’s especially important when the product carries a stigma marketers may never have intended.

Retailers understandably want to move near-expiry inventory, and price is the easiest lever.

This research suggests they should also give customers a better reason for choosing it.

Because apparently saving 30% on tonight’s dinner ain’t heroic in itself.

I also need my family to know I’m a brilliant environmentalist.

If you’d like help creating and marketing products people feel compelled to buy, the product marketing consultants at Graphos Product can help.