The Popularity of the Produce Aisle

The produce aisle in our supermarkets is diversifying; many stores have redesigned their stores amid increasing pressures from packaged-food manufacturers who want to put their products next to the lettuce. Stores are finding that consumers consider any packaged food placed there to be fresher -- the "halo effect," as some consumer behavior researchers have dubbed it. Read this article (and view the video) from the Wall Street Journal to learn more. What is the primary purpose driving this trend? Are there any risks (for the supermarkets and/or consumer) associated with changing the merchandising and layout of supermarkets? Can you come up with an experimental design or other research method that could test whether any of these layout design ideas are effective?