9 OTC Shelves Where Cheaper Alternatives Hide Nearby
Stores place cheaper OTC alternatives near brand names. This shelf strategy subtly pushes you to buy the expensive option.
The pharmacy aisle is designed to guide your choices. Stores use clever placement strategies to push you toward expensive, brand-name drugs.
They know that most shoppers grab the familiar box at eye level. However, a cheaper, equally effective store-brand alternative is almost always hiding nearby.
Learning to spot this deliberate placement is key to saving money on over-the-counter (OTC) medicines.
Example: Tylenol
The Tylenol section is prime real estate. The store places the bright red Tylenol boxes at eye level. Right below it, often slightly hidden, sits the store’s own “Acetaminophen” brand.
The identical active ingredient offers the same relief.
The lower shelf placement makes it less visible. This encourages you to grab the more expensive option.
- Tylenol and its alternative
- Advil and Motrin with their colorful boxes dominating the main shelf space
You will see the same strategy with Advil and Motrin.
Author's summary: Stores hide cheaper alternatives near brand names.