Benefits of Buying Bulk Foods
Buying in bulk can be your best bet for getting the best deals, trying new foods, and creating less waste.
Purchasing your food in bulk has many great benefits for both you and the environment. Take a look at these reasons below and try shopping in bulk as much as you can, we think you will enjoy it too!
1. Reduce Waste.
By shopping at bulk food stores you will reduce both your packaging waste and also your food waste. Buying in bulk eliminates the need for fancy packaging & single-use plastic.
2. Reduce Transport Miles
Bulk goods require less overall transportation because there are less packaging components that must be produced and transported prior to being filled. The transportation of bulk products is more efficient because they can be packed more densely on a truck in large sacks and boxes as opposed to individually packaged items.
3. It’s Cheaper
Generally speaking, buying in bulk is cheaper. You are not paying for excess packaging so you should find it cheaper than buying similar items at the supermarket. Without the fancy branding that companies charge for, buying in bulk means you are getting nothing but the product- pure and simple! Buying unpackaged foods in the bulk section of the grocery store offers an average savings of 30 to 50 percent versus packaged food.
4. Waste Less Food
How many of us hate having to throw away foods, whether it’s nuts or spices, which have gone rancid or are past their expiration date… Buying in bulk allows you to purchase the exact amount of foods you need, as opposed to manufacturer-divvied portions. Whether you need just a pinch or a few cups or even a pound, buying in bulk helps you get exactly what you want.
5. Make your home bulk friendly
Discard pre-packaged food in boxes, plastic tubs and cans. Purchase glass storage containers, stainless steel jars, or even reuse mason jars to store foods instead - this is a small investment that is definitely worth it.
What to do with your bulk purchases? Make a granola or trail mix. Mix the dried fruit with nuts and seeds and voila, you have your own signature trail mix that is a great healthy snack!
6. Reduce Material Waste
According to BIG, an average shopping basket of 10 products refilled across the year, saves 118 pieces of packaging from a landfill.
7. Help the Environment
Eliminating packaging reduces the carbon footprint. Less packaging means that less ends up in the landfill. Bulk food also streamlines the transportation needed for delivery, helping to reduce CO2 emissions. According to BIG, there is an average reduction of emission by 48 percent each time a product is refilled from bulk versus the same product bought in traditional packaging.
Source – Supermarket Guru & The Source Bulk Foods
