In Bulk

Regret. Perhaps the word is too strong to describe how I’m feeling about the topic of conscious consumerism, yet this week I found myself questioning why I was possessed to vote for this topic. For the record, I think conscious consumerism is extremely important. My challenge is two-fold. I rarely shop, and I am already a fairly conscious consumer. After agonizing briefly about the topic, I selected the inescapable facet of consumerism - groceries.

Typically, my spouse and I shop at a regional grocery chain, which is coincidentally based in our city (Charlotte, NC). The upscale chain store is 1.8 miles from our house; it takes us five minutes to get there. The chain store also has a great selection of organics and some locally grown produce too. The comparison store I selected is locally owned with only four locations; the closest is 9.7 miles from home, which is a 20 minute drive. I considered public transportation briefly, but the trip would take over an hour (one way). Public transportation would include a 14 minute walk to the bus stop, a 28 minute bus ride, followed by a 9 minute walk to the train station, 10 minute train ride, and a 6 minute walk to the store. However, during the week, the comparison store is on my spouse’s way home from work, which essentially negates the issue of convenience.

In addition to being a small, local operation, the primary draw of the comparison store is its reputation for bulk items; the store did not disappoint. There I found endless varieties of bulk coffee, candy, nuts, dried fruits, flour, spices, peanut butter, oils, honey, pasta, rice, dried beans, oats, sugar, salt, and popcorn. Most of the selections were organic. The store also has a wealth of packaged grocery items, a cafe and, most surprising, a community room. While I shopped, a room full of people were learning from a Naturopath about Clinical Kinesiology. I noticed that upcoming events include The Flavors of Italy, Gluten Free Cooking, and a Yoga Dance & Restorative Yoga Class. I was unaware that a store as awesome as this one exists in Charlotte.

We try to consume as much organic and local food as possible, which is thought by many to be cost prohibitive. Our choice is based in what we believe is best for our health, the planet, and our local economy rather than price, but I wanted to find out how different the prices were between the bulk store and the chain store where we typically shop. I compared prices on a variety of staple items that we use (or, in the case of the white rice, cook for our dog), selecting organic and/or local when it was available. Below is the comparison. Organic items are marked with an asterisk (*).

Item Regional Chain Price Local Bulk Store Price

White Rice .50/lb. 1.89/lb.

Demerara Sugar 2.40/lb.* 1.79/lb.

Oats 2.99/18 oz.* 1.79/18 oz.*

Wildflower Honey 5.31/lb.* 4.29/lb. (local)

Popcorn 2.50/lb.* 1.59/lb.*

Cashews 6.15/lb. (salted) 9.99/lb.* (raw)

Whole Wheat Flour 1.50/lb.* 1.99/lb.*

Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter 4.99/lb. 3.79/lb. (grind in store)

Bananas (Ecuador) .99/lb.* .99/lb.*

Raspberries (Mexico) 4.99/6 oz. 2.50/6 oz.*

Beer 7.99/6 pack (local) 10.99/6 pack (local)

Total $40.31 $41.60

While the price difference between the two stores on the items sampled is a nominal $1.29, the difference in packaging is pronounced. The bulk store provides plastic produce bags for many bulk items, such as nuts or fruit, and plastic resealable bags for spices. Most shoppers bring their own containers for items like honey. The bottom line is that, because these containers can be used over and over, the only appreciable waste generated from this sample list is the beer bottles, beer carton, and plastic casing for the raspberries at the bulk store. All of this waste is at least recyclable. Cloth bags could be used for some bulk items to further minimize packaging.

However, every time the items are purchased from the chain store, packaging waste would include three non-recyclable plastic bags and the following recyclable items: four plastic containers, one paper bag, beer bottles and carton. Imagine the cumulative waste over the course of a year in our household alone, not to mention the energy required to recycle the items that can be recycled! Therefore, my family is committed to shopping at the bulk store on a trial basis during the course of the semester. We have a shared vision of permanent storage containers replacing the boxes, cans, and bags in our pantry. The names, logos, slogans, and claims of manufacturers will be replaced by the staple foods we will use to prepare delicious, healthy meals. Further, we intend to supplement these bulk items with local food from farmers markets. More on this next time...