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Produce, cereal, milk, light bulbs … these are the kinds of items most shoppers are after when they make their grocery runs.

But what about all of that other stuff on top of the display shelves — the bigger merchandise some consumers can never quite reach? If you can’t picture what’s up there, you’re not alone. Most of us see these items, but only subliminally because we’re so intent on grabbing the orange juice, cheese or bread.

You might be inclined to pass it up, but one industry expert says there’s a veritable treasure trove of merchandise up there for consumers in search of a bargain.

“It’s surprising what you’ll find and there are great prices on a lot of that stuff,” said Phil Lempert, a Santa Monica-based expert on consumer behavior and marketing trends. “Supermarkets typically buy odd lots of seasonal merchandise and put it up there because they don’t have any space on the floor for it.”

The Ralphs supermarket on North Lake Avenue in Pasadena is a prime example.

On a recent Monday, the store’s top-most displays included everything from coolers, Trolley Dolly Seats and beach umbrellas to camping chairs, charcoal grills and folding walkers. And true to Lempert’s claim, the prices were good.

The Trolley Dolly Seat, which consists of a small chair with rear wheels and a weather-proof, seven-compartment shopping bag, was selling for $32.99, marked down from the regular price of $59.99. The same item was selling for $59.99 on Amazon and at Bed Bath & Beyond, where it’s referred to as the Trolley Dolly Laundry Cart With Seat.

A few aisles over, the store was selling a lightweight aluminum folding walker with wheels for $39.99. Similar walkers on Amazon and Google were priced from $29.99 to $44.65.

Over at the Vons supermarket on Colorado Boulevard in Pasadena, a 3 Piece Bistro Set, consisting of a side table and two chairs, was priced at $99.99, a bargain compared with a similar set on Overstock.com that’s selling for $127.99.

A Char Performance barbecue grill was likewise selling for $199.99, nearly $50 less than on Amazon.

Another Vons market on Lyons Avenue in Santa Clarita was heavy on inflatable swimming pool toys, including blow-up alligators and the “Biggest Giant Flamingo Mega Island,” which was selling for nearly $200, a $50 discount off the regular price.

Are shoppers really buying this stuff? John Harb, general merchandise sales manager for Albertsons Cos., whose Southern California division includes Vons, Pavilions and Albertsons, says they are.

“It’s a small percentage of what we sell … but it’s still millions of dollars,” Harb said. “We price these items very competitively. We buy a lot of things overseas, so we get good prices on them.”

Harb said supermarkets typically place one of the larger items on the sales floor to give shoppers a taste of what’s for sale higher up.

“We let the stores choose what they think will sell,” he said. “They know their neighborhoods better than we do. Our stores in Big Bear and Mammoth might have things like snow shovels on display in the winter. And in the summer they’ll have camping chairs, ice chests and fishing equipment.”

Conversely, stores along the coast or in inland areas will often display a variety of beach toys and other items for the swimming pool.

“We sell a lot of inflatables,” Harb said. “We blow them up and they sell like hotcakes.”

Still, some shoppers rarely glance at those top-of-the-aisle displays.

“The only time I look up there is when I can’t find something anywhere else in the store,” said Gladys Hart, 26, of Pasadena. “I don’t think most people come to the grocery store to buy these kinds of things when you can get them at Target or Walmart.”

The Erewhon organic grocery chain, which has Southern California locations in Los Angeles, Santa Monica, Venice and Calabasas, uses the top-of-the-shelf display tactic to its advantage, according to Lempert.

“Their stores are about 10,000 square feet and they have much higher shelving than is typical in most stores,” he said. “They do that on purpose so when you see a product you like you have to engage someone at the store. They use that as a way to build relationships with shoppers.”

Ultimately, stores are looking to broaden their mix of merchandise, Harb said, and that sometimes involves trial and error.

“In the grocery business we’re always trying to sell that one more thing,” he said. “This gives us a chance to experiment.”

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