About a week ago found myself sitting in the centre of a busy corporate café. There was a selection of hot and cold food, cakes and other baked goods, fizzy drinks, hot coffees and tea. As soon as lunch started, queues began to form around the hot counter. I started to find it odd no one was stopping by to grab a sandwich or piece of fruit but with UK temperatures dropping, I unassumingly put it down to the weather.
I didn’t think much more about it until I overheard one particular conversation. As the second person in just under an hour went to pay for his sandwich and apple, the cashier informed him today’s hot lunch was free for staff. The man quickly turned on his heels, practically threw his food back on the shelf and walked to join the long line for a burger and chips. Those queues suddenly made so much sense.
The Reason: One simple word, four little letters, FREE!
Why was everyone picking the free hot food with choices like cheesy pasta, burgers, sausages and chips, over the healthier alternatives? I started to really think about it.
After a year working for a company based in consumer psychology, I’ve previously come across this idea of ‘the psychology of free’. Giving us something for nothing changes our usually rational behaviour. It’s a powerful emotional trigger that can make things we usually wouldn’t notice or want, suddenly irresistible. This is known as The Zero Price Effect.
I’m certainly no an exception. Without knowing if I like them, I’ve queued to get a free box of krispy crèmes, a free bottle of new flavoured coke, I’ve even waited for a free mr whippy in the cold. Just last week I walked a little off route in town just so I could grab a free graze bar I spotted being given out.
When we buy something, we are faced with a price. You’re going to have to pay for whatever you get anyway so we stop and compare our choices; we give ourselves time to think about our decision. When picking lunch for example, for many that extra time is what’s needed to pick the healthier option. Conversely, when it’s free, there’s no barrier, no need to stop and question it and importantly no risk! It’s like we’ve been given a short cut to the end decision. We don’t need to take the time to think about our options because clearly getting something for nothing is the better deal.
The introduction of free also clouds the judgement of the product itself. When you pay for something, you feel the right to be picky, you have higher expectations… maybe something was missing in your meal or the waitress seemed rude. Many people would voice these thoughts, some would even formally complain. So what about when it’s free? Suddenly we aren’t so picky and our expectations are significantly lower…we get what we’re given and complain less. So what if the free lunch was a little cold or maybe the free top doesn’t fit quite right? It was free so you don’t loose anything.
Have you noticed how paying vs getting something for free has clouded your judgement?
