Zeichen der Zeit, Verkaufsmaschine Supermarkt (1972)

In 1972, Wolfgang Menge described the supermarket as a "sales machine." A supermarket isn't simply a store where you buy what you need. To increase sales, supermarkets have to create needs in their customers that don't actually exist. Supermarket managers rely on impulse buying, meaning they want customers to buy goods they didn't originally intend to purchase. Tricks used include product placement, background music, and special offers.