by Brenda Nelson

Created on: January 05, 2011   Last Updated: January 13, 2011

Buying food in bulk has been suggested as a good way of saving money, but if a consumer is not careful, buying food this way can be a huge waste of cash. Let us look at some of the pros and cons of buying food in bulk.

-Pros of Buying Food in Bulk-

Money Savings

Generally bulk foods are cheaper. There may be a cost reduction of 10% to 50% depending on where one shops, and what one is buying, if compared to buying the same amount of food traditionally. Buying larger packages means less manufacturing costs, as well less work for the companies involved, you, the consumer are rewarded with lower prices when you buy larger packages of items, or items packaged together.

Fewer Trips to the Store

Bulk buying means fewer trips to the store are needed to replenish items. Bulk buying is almost a requirement in some remote communities as trips to the store are no easy venture. Each trip to the store is not only consuming gas, but our time as well. If we can reduce both, it is an advantage.

Emergency Preparedness

An often overlooked advantage is that if any disaster should occur, chances are bulk shoppers have enough food to last for several days, or even weeks.

-Cons of Buying Food in Bulk-

Unsatisfied

If a consumer buys a lot of a particular food item, and decide it is not something they enjoy, they have a shelf full of it. This also applies when some people get “bored” of a particular food item. In these cases they have a lot of food sitting there, going to waste, because they may not want to eat it.

Wasted Food

There is also the additional problem of food being wasted because it is forgotten about. This often occurs when food passes its expiration date. Few people check expiration dates when they purchase food, or assume they will eat it all before that time should pass, however it does happen that people who have bought bulk foods have wasted a lot due to it being old, stale, or outdated. This is always a concern when buying food items that come in bags, or containers, that are hard to reseal.

Storage

It is all well and good to plan on buying food in bulk, but you still have to get it home, and store it. Buying too much in bulk food might mean food is not going to fit in the cupboards designed to hold it.

Cost

While bulk shoppers save money in the long run the upfront cost is high. If a person is stocking up by purchasing as much bulk food as they can, they may have a huge total at the check out.

-Is Bulk Buying Right for You?

It may be a case that buying some food items in bulk, and others not in bulk, is the best option for certain people. Consumers are best to try a food item in smaller quantities before buying in bulk, and to consider how much food they go through in a certain period of time to avoid having to throw out uneaten, spoiled, food.

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