Here is how buying in bulk is supposed to work: you go to the store. You buy a multi-pack of an item, so the retailer makes more money from your shopping trip. In turn, the retailer charges you less for the multi-pack than you normally would have paid. That’s how this works…except when stores apply Target Math.

“Buy in bulk and………spend more!” writes tipster Pat. Indeed, this is the classic example of Target Math, where buying a multi-pack inexplicably costs more per unit than buying a single item.

Reader John found this confusing example in the juice aisle. While it’s possible that the flyer advertised an even higher price than $2.99 and that’s what it’s referring to, do most customers walk around with the current Target flyer, cross-referencing? They do not.

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