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amoryblainev t1_ixwtq7a wrote

Reply to comment by [deleted] in We should just stop trying to recycle by RoverTheMonster

I think you’re misunderstanding the use of “bulk” here. Bulk can mean one of two things- buying in bulk, such as large quantities (think Costco) OR buying by the pound, which is what we’re talking about here.

I live alone in a small 1 bedroom apartment. I don’t do the mass quantity bulk buying, because I don’t have room for the stuff and it would take much longer to go through it. I DO shop the bulk bins at stores like MOM’s, whole foods, Riverwards, Good Buy Supply, etc. Which is great for a single person or couple, because you can buy items in as little or large a quantity as you want, which means less waste. And since the items aren’t packaged, that often reduces their price per pound.

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[deleted] t1_ixx7dev wrote

[deleted]

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amoryblainev t1_ixx8g0j wrote

Do you realize how much baking soda a pound is? You picked a very obscure item to price match. And you’re right, online prices often don’t reflect the price in the store, especially if you’re looking at the price through a service like instacart (they increase prices at many stores on their app).

Many people buy those little orange boxes, which are a pound, and if you’re using it for cooking (in vegan baking it’s sometimes used, that’s the only reason I have a box) you never use the whole box. It sits in your cabinet for a year. If you’re using it for cleaning, sure, buy a big pack off the shelf. The point is for most uses you only need a small amount, and buying from the bulk section means you can measure out a small amount, that doesn’t cost $6. And regardless, baking soda often comes in a paper box that can be recycled.

Where bulk bins are especially helpful are for dried foods, like rice, beans, legumes, oats, spices, nuts, seeds, etc. Many stores sell bags of rice that are 3-5 pounds, and the bulk price per pound is almost always if not always cheaper. I buy a lot of dry beans, which are significantly cheaper than canned. And when you buy them from the bulk bin, they’re cheaper than the pre-bagged dry beans.

Last, out of the places I listed, Whole Foods and Riverwards have the cheapest bulk bins that I’ve seen. I listed Mom’s because it’s an option, but I don’t shop there often because the items I can’t buy in bulk are overpriced there. It’s more expensive than Whole Foods.

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