Guest blog, by Makayla Drummond-Murray of The Source Bulk Foods, Richmond
5 impressive environmental and financial benefits of buying your food in bulk.
Since opening our doors in April 2021, the Richmond community has welcomed The Source Bulk Foods with open arms and have quickly embraced our zero-waste ethos! Richmond is such a vibrant community and we have loved meeting the local community and seeing so many new customers who are excited to shop plastic-free! Buying your food in bulk has many great benefits for both you and the environment – here are our top 5 reasons to embrace bulk foods and become a more sustainable shopper (not to mention that bulk food shopping is way more fun!).
1 Reduce Waste
By shopping at bulk food stores, you will reduce both your packaging and your food waste. Buying in bulk eliminates the need for fancy packaging and single-use plastic, meaning that you are only buying the delicious food, and not the unnecessary packaging. By making the switch to buying in bulk, you will make a dramatic impact on your weekly household waste and it will also encourage you to be more mindful about your consumption choices in general – a win for your pantry and a win for the planet!
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 (did you know that most crisp packets are actually 75% air!). Some of our amazing suppliers are also completely closed loop, meaning they collect their empty delivery containers and reuse them over and over again – how great is that?
3 It’s Cheaper
Generally speaking buying in bulk is cheaper than shopping in a traditional mass supermarket because you aren’t paying for the excess packaging. Without the fancy branding that companies charge for, buying in bulk means you are getting nothing but the product – pure and simple!
4 You Can Buy Exactly How Much You Need
When you buy in bulk you can scoop out exactly how much you need so there is no food waste. If a recipe requires 250 grammes of quinoa, you can measure and buy exactly that – rather than buy a kilo bag that may gather dust in your kitchen cupboard! Being able to buy in bulk also gives you the versatility to try new products as you can sample small sizes of them before investing in more. With no minimum purchase of anything in store, you can also buy small quantities of various items to make up things like your own granola or muesli- so you can be more creative in the kitchen!
Because you can buy exactly what you need, you will no longer have old packets of half-used products sitting in the cupboard! You can therefore benefit from the freshest produce. Popular bulk food stores like The Source have a high stock turnover, which means you are always buying the freshest products.
5 Shop Consciously & Sustainably
Buying in bulk helps you to think about your food waste and the amount of packaging being used. Before you know it you will be thinking of ways to shop more conscientiously in every aspect of your life! Even things like buying almonds in bulk and making your own almond milk can eliminate unnecessary packaging. Becoming a mindful shopper makes a huge difference to the planet and also encourages and inspires those around you to make changes in their own lifestyle!
About the author – Makayla Drummond-Murray
Makayla is the Founder of The Source Bulk Foods UK and, along with her partner, Patrick, has now opened 8 stores across the UK and Ireland.
Find out more about The Source Bulk Foods Richmond on their Instagram page @thesourcerichmond
Makayla Drummond-Murray
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