Classic food stores have been reborn thanks to current ecological and sustainable trends. Buying in bulk is back and so its countless benefits, whether for the planet, for your health and even for your home.
These stores offer a large selection of legumes, nuts, rice, cereals, olives, coffee, tea … all natural and made of a quality that can hardly be found in supermarkets. The purchase by weight allows you to choose and take home the exact amount of food desired, however small. So you can enjoy a fresher diet, spending less money and avoiding throwing spoiled food for not eating it on time. This is especially useful for those who live alone.
On the other hand, buying in bulk is a great environmental support, since the process of transport and contaminant packaging is eliminated. Although their prices may be a little higher, nowadays fewer users mind spending more if they pollute less in return. Concern for the planet and food waste, along with a custom purchase makes bulk shopping an ideal system for today’s society.
In order to make a sustainable purchase, the ideal is to use an ecological packaging. In many stores we can find paper bags, which are normally used for dry products such as legumes, nuts and others. These bags usually carry the FSC seal (from sustainable forests), and are both biodegradable and recyclable. Cardboard boxes could also be used to prevent some foods (such as pasta or nuts) being squeezed or torn apart on the way home from the supermarket.
Anyway it is recommended to use reusable bags, which last much longer than paper or cardboard. The most popular example in this case are mesh bags made from cotton. These are used for fruit and vegetables, and can replace large plastic supermarket bags in. For that task we can also use cloth bags or tote bags.
Glass is a material that’s often used in bulk shopping too. Both jars and tuppers are perfect for moist products such as cheeses, olives or meat. In some supermarkets it is already possible to bring a house container to avoid the use of unnecessary plastic. The negative part of these packages is that they weigh much more than plastic containers, making them uncomfortable to carry. In addition, they can be a problem when weighing products.
One tip for not being overcharged because of the glass would be to note how much each jar weighs before adding something inside. In this way, the grams of the final weight can be discounted. Some alternatives to glass would be steel or bamboo containers. For wet products, silicone bags could also be used, which are made of reusable plastic and are suitable for freezers and refrigerators.
To summarize, the best zero waste containers you should use if you are going to bulk stores are:
✅ Paper bags
✅ Boxes and cardboard boxes
✅ Mesh bags made of cotton
✅ Cloth bags or tote bags
✅ Glass, bamboo or steel containers (tuppers)
✅ Silicone bags
You have many options available, and as you can see they are useful, comfortable and eco-friendly. Now that you know how to reduce plastic thanks to reusable packaging, will you put it into practice?