The Many Benefits of Bulk Buying

Are you looking to save some cash on your weekly grocery haul? Or perhaps you’d like to reduce your family’s carbon footprint? Bulk buying just might be the solution for you. Purchasing your household items in bulk has great benefits both for your pocket and for the planet. If you’re still not convinced, check out our list of reasons to start stocking up.

1. It reduces packaging waste

Australians are responsible for over 40 million tonnes of waste per annum. This makes us one of the biggest contributors to the global waste problem. In an increasingly environmentally conscious society, it’s important that we all do our part. Buying large quantities of goods and refilling reusable jars and bottles is a perfect example of an eco-friendly consumption practice. If households across Australia pick up this habit, their collective efforts can reduce the demand for single-use plastic, meaning less waste disposal. Here are some items that make for great storage containers:

• Mason Jars: ideal for small-sized grocery items like salt, pepper, spices, beans and rice. You can also fill them with laundry soaps and powders
• Baskets: great sturdy alternatives to flimsy plastic bags
• Food containers: bring these with you when buying meat and fish at the supermarket
• Old bottles: perfect for liquids such as shampoo, soaps, fabric conditioners etc. Just make sure to remove the original label to avoid any confusion.

2. It's environmentally friendly

Ever notice that packaging is usually very excessive? For example, when you buy a bag of crisps, it seems only half full. This is needless waste, and in most cases these wrappers end up in landfill. What’s worse is that they’re usually non-biodegradable, and can take hundreds of years to break down fully. To reduce waste pollution, we must avoid purchasing these items where possible. Bulk buying solves this problem. When we purchase items in bulk, we use fewer packaging materials. This reduces our carbon footprint by decreasing the natural resources and energy used in the manufacturing process. Fundamentally, this results in less carbon dioxide emissions being released into the atmosphere. The health of the planet is in our hands, so do your part and say no to excessive packaging.

3. It's kinder to our health

Plastic packaging often contains chemicals that can contaminate its contents. Most are made of refined crude oil and chemicals such as BPA (Bisphenol-A). These substances are plasticisers, making the plastic more durable and flexible. While functional, they can be harmful to our health. This is especially true when plastic is used to package food items. When food is stored and heated in these containers, the chemicals can penetrate it. Lab studies on animals show that high doses of BPA can disrupt reproductive function. It was initially thought that these levels of BPA were no threat to humans. However, recent research indicates that people with high levels of BPA in their system are at higher risk for a number of serious health conditions including diabetes, heart disease and liver toxicity. Don’t take any chances and avoid this packaging wherever possible.

4. It's cheaper!

The main reason people prefer to buy in bulk is the low cost. Purchasing goods in large quantities is much cheaper than buying smaller, individual items more frequently. It’s one of the best ways to stay within your household budget. Whether you’re buying food or non-perishables, you generally get much better deals when you buy in bulk, effectively getting the same product for less. It also saves you trekking to the supermarket too often. What’s not to like?

5. It encourages simple living

In today’s fast-paced, hyper-commercialised world, many people are stripping down and going back to basics. That’s what bulk buying is all about – shopping the old fashion way. Instead of buying highly processed packaged goods, keep it simple and know exactly what you’re getting. Cooking from scratch like our grandmothers used to is a more authentic and rewarding way to live.

6. It helps you to become a conscious consumer

Bulk buying can bring perspective, helping us to recognise our poor consumption habits. When you ditch individually packaged goods, you may realise just how much food and materials you’ve been wasting. This can have a positive knock-on effect, helping you to live more consciously on the whole.

Bulk buying shopping tips

Now that we’ve gone through the advantages of bulk buying, here’s a list of tips to help you shop as efficiently as possible. Only buy things you use a lot. If you’re going to do a haul, make sure you’re using the items on your list regularly and that you’re likely to get through them quickly. This eliminates the risk that the products will expire before being used. We recommend buying soaps, laundry detergents and food that you tend to eat every week. Prepare your storage. Before stocking up, make sure you have sufficient storage space. For some people, this can be a real headache. You may have to rearrange your living space to make room for your purchases. Don’t overdo it. Don’t go buying 500 rolls of toilet paper or 50 liters of washing up liquid. You’re not a hotel. Buy enough to save you a nice bit of coin while reducing your household’s carbon footprint. Sniff out the offers. Do your research and compare prices at your local stores as well as online. This will help you find the best offers and deals. Since you’re going to be purchasing in large quantities, make sure you get the best possible price. Look into creating an eBates account too, which can win you cash back on some purchases. Tare your containers. Tare weight is the weight of the container. It’s important to know this number, so you can subtract it from the total weight at the checkout and pay only for the groceries you buy. There should be a scale near the bulk aisle you can use. If there's no scale available, ask an employee to help you. They’ll get it all the time. As mentioned previously, laundry products are one of the best items to buy in bulk. They have a long shelf life, and they’re used consistently which means no waste. Make the switch today and stock up on Euca laundry products. With Euca, you can purchase 4L, 10L, or 20L bottles and save on money and packaging. We also offer a 500 ml display dispenser which can be refilled and reused at home. Shop the full range at Euca today.