A SAVVY shopper has revealed the sneaky tactics retail stores use to manipulate you into spending more.

With over 1.3million households facing a cost-of-living crisis with no savings to fall back on, spending less has never been more important.

But if you still find yourself heading to retail stores and returning ready to declare bankruptcy, it might be because you've fallen for the different tricks used in the industry.

One savvy shopper, Safiya Nygaard, took it to YouTube to explain what shops do to manipulate you into buying more than you had initially planned to.

''Things like stocking the milk – something most people buy every week – at the very back of the store, so you have to walk past literally everything else to get it,'' she said in the viral video.

''Or wafting the scent of baked goods or rotisserie chicken throughout the store to make you hungry and thus, more likely to stray from your shopping list.''

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Although back in the day, before the dawn of the internet, it was easier to get people in a physical store, online brands, such as ASOS, has become the go-to for many shoppers.

Safiya said: ''Not only are there more competitors in the market, but the biggest competitors are online.

''So if physical retailers are gonna keep up, they have to use highly specific design strategies to encourage you to buy.''

One the the biggest companies most of us are guilty of spending hours – and pounds and pounds or hard-earned money – on is the Swedish furniture retailer, IKEA.

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The location

Because the large stores are typically located outside the city centre, the majority of shoppers head out of their homes already knowing what they'll buy.

And after such a long trip, leaving IKEA without anything would simply feel like a waste of time and effort.

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''You can't go home empty-handed, right?''

Free daycare & tasty meatballs

Not only does IKEA provide free daycare, but every store has a restaurant so you can ''refuel and get back to shopping''.

According to Safiya, one IKEA executive even called the famous meatballs ''the best sofa seller'', as these protein-filled savoury treats encourage the customer to stay even longer.

The maze design

Those who've visited the shop in person are also familiar with almost getting lost in the maze – and turns out, there is a very good reason for that.

''There are arrows on the floor pointing you deeper and deeper into the labyrinth.''

Full of stunning furniture and home décor to fit all styles and preferences, the rooms are built in such a way that makes you feel like you're walking through a catalogue.

''It also evokes a sense of mystery that might make you more prone to impulse buying.''

Lost in time

''Similar to a Vegas casino, you often won't see a ton of windows at IKEA.''

Instead, the stores are full of LED screens that make you lose the track of time.

''When the sunlight is blocked out, it gets you to stop thinking about time and space.''

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The Marketplace

Once you've browsed through the perfect kitchens and bedrooms, you end up in the IKEA Marketplace.

The area, which some employees have reportedly dubbed the ''Open You Wallet section'', is filled with smaller items, such as towels and dishes, that are easy to throw in your basket.

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