• Marketplace , Monday, November 17, 2008 10:45 AM

Kai Ryssdal interviewed author Martin Lindstrom about his controversial new book, Buyology: The Truth and Lies About Why We Buy, (Doubleday Business, $24.95) on Friday evening. While consumers are trying to be less impulsive, Lindstrom says, stores are constantly coming up with tactics to override those good intentions. Whole Foods shopping carts are twice as large as they were a year ago, for example. Consumers reportedly are buying 30% more goods as a result.

Lindstrom also the roles of ritual and the cardboard wrappers around Starbucks' coffee cups to Ryssdal, who appears to be addicted to Starbucks' brand of caffeine in particular.

A transcript of the program, as well additional audio excerpts from a 45-minute tour Ryssdal took with Lindstrom in a mall in Los Angeles, are on the Marketplace Web site.

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