After intercepting 250 customers as they left six stores in and around London, Dunnhumby compared what they'd actually bought with what was on their original shopping list. And, detailed in the Guardian, the results show that bananas are our top impulse buy.
Healthy items are the most likely to be bought on impulse, with strawberries in second place and carrots and on-the-vine tomatoes fourth and fifth respectively.
The exception is the Sun newspaper, at number three - a guilty pleasure for many.
In terms of the shopping lists themselves, the most common items are milk, bread, eggs, potatoes and bananas (again). Sixth on the list is the rather vague 'fruit', followed by bacon, butter, juice and biscuits.
To resist impulse buying, experts recommend writing a precise list (not 'snacks' or 'something for dinner'), and never shopping on an empty stomach.
