Red Faced Shoppers

Came across an interesting article in today's Daily News. Picture this scenario: You are at the drug store and you need to purchase some embarrassing personal item such as tampons, condoms or anti-hemorrhoidal cream. Instead of buying just that one item, you find yourself buying all kinds of other items such as bottled water, soap, gum, hairspray; Anything to conceal that personal item you want no one to see. We've all done it at one time or another. Apparently it's called Distraction Buying.

According to a recent British survey on the topic, one in four women admitted that they regularly stuffed their shopping carts to camouflage their embarrassing items. Those extra items cost them on average, $9 each time. One of four men were equally humiliated, with their extra purchases of junk items to cover up their condom or athlete's foot spray purchase averaging up to an extra $4.50 each time they shopped.

Some shoppers even resort to stealing those "embarrassing items" just to avoid having to take them to the checkout counter. According to the survey, the top five embarrassing awkward ailments are:

MEN: hemorrhoids, athlete's foot, diarrhea, genital warts and public lice
WOMEN: yeast infection, hemorrhoids, halitosis, head lice, and diarrhea.

The products that put men and women on the spot at your local Duane Reade:

MEN: condoms, Imodium A-D, Tucks Suppositories, Preparation-H and buying vaginal cream or tampons for a girlfriend.
WOMEN: treatment for head/body lice, vagisil cream, contraceptive pills, Preparation-H, condoms.

After reading the article, I can't help but to remember the times when I'd make a "personal item" purchase, only to pick up a few other things just to cover them up. It's funny now, but back them I couldn't help but to feel a bit of angst while waiting on the checkout line with my bottled water, razors and box of Durex Macho Cobra Magnums. What do you think? Am I the only one that's been down that road?
Discuss amongst yourselves....

nuff said