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Trevor Gore on how to positively influence customers using behavioural economics

If you’ve ever wondered why some customers reach straight for the branded painkillers while others stand pondering over the generic equivalent, you’re not alone. The way people make choices in community pharmacies is getting more complex – and fascinating – thanks to the growing influence of behavioural economics. 

Customer decision making is no longer just about price or proximity. It’s about nudges, trust, habit, and psychology, all quietly shaping the way customers think and act the moment they walk through your doors (or checkout online). 

At its heart, behavioural economics looks at how real people make decisions. It tells us that customers don’t always weigh up every option logically. 

Instead, they rely on shortcuts ,what researchers call heuristics, and are infl uenced by the way choices are presented, framed or even timed. And in community pharmacy, these small behavioural cues, or nudges, can make a huge diff erence to what the patient decides to buy. 

Over the past couple of years, studies have shown that simple ‘nudges’ can steer people toward better health choices without them even realising it. Think of how many times a customer picks up the ‘pharmacist’s recommended’ brand, or the ‘value pack’ displayed at eye level. That’s not random, it’s choice architecture at work. 

How we arrange shelves, label products, and communicate options can all gently push people in one direction or another. Even digital pharmacies use this tactic. Online platforms now reorder items or highlight ‘most popular’ products based on customer behaviour. It’s a quiet but effective nudge towards specific decisions. 

Trust still reigns supreme

Despite all the digital innovation, trust remains the strongest nudge of all. The public places a higher level of trust in community pharmacies than most other European countries. Sixty-nine per cent of UK respondents said they trust their local pharmacist. 

This trust heuristic means customers often follow advice from a familiar face, even if it costs more than at the local supermarket. When you recommend a product, it’s not just advice; it’s a powerful behavioural cue backed by credibility and care. 

NHS apps, pharmacy loyalty programmes, and even prescription reminders now use behavioural insights to boost patient adherence. NHS Digital’s 2024 Behavioural Insights report found that simple app notifications like ‘Time to collect your prescription’ increase medicine pickup rates. Throw in a loyalty programme, and the effect doubles. That’s present bias in action: people respond better to small, immediate rewards than to distant health benefits. 

Here’s another fun fact. People are more motivated by loss aversion, the fear of losing something, than by the promise of gaining something of equal value. Messages framed as ‘missing doses increases your risk of relapse’ work better than ‘taking medicine keeps you healthy’. It’s the same psychology that drives FOMO (fear of missing out) on social media. Linked to this is the power of social proof. 

Ever noticed how customers are drawn to labels that say, ‘most popular’ or ‘chosen by 8 out of 10 customers’? That’s social norm framing, and it’s powerful. 

Studies show that customers are more likely to choose a specific cold remedy or vitamin brand when told ‘most patients prefer this one’. It’s human nature; we like to feel we’re making the same smart choices as everyone else. 

Behavioural economics also tells us that defaults matter. If a pharmacy’s dispensing system or app pre-selects a refill option or ‘standard’ pack size, most customers will stick with it. Not because they’ve analysed it, but because defaults feel safe, familiar, and hassle-free. 

It’s the same principle that increased the number of people who donate their organs or pay the pre-fi lled ‘tip’ on a restaurant bill. Could you make regular vaccination programmes the ‘opt out’ rather than the ‘opt in’? 

Understanding these psychological triggers isn’t about manipulating customers, it’s about helping them make better choices. When used ethically, behavioural insights can improve medication adherence, increase satisfaction, and even build stronger long-term loyalty. 

Here are a few takeaways you can apply right now. In 2025, community pharmacies are not just dispensing medicines, they’re shaping health behaviour. Every product placement, app notification, and pharmacist conversation plays into a complex web of psychology and trust. 

Whether you’re advising a regular on cold remedies, delivering a flu jab, or recommending an ambulatory blood pressure monitor, remember you’re not just serving customers, you’re influencing the tiny decisions that make up their healthcare journey. 

So, harness the power of behavioural nudges – rethink your shelves, words, and defaults – and help customers make smarter, healthier choices every day. 

Trevor Gore is associate director at the Institute for Collaborative Working