When I first learned about zero waste living, I went on a crazy YouTube binge and watched hours worth of zero waste “how to” videos. I learned that if I could find a grocery store with a bulk section that would allow me to bring my own containers, I could eliminate a lot of my waste. I was really excited about this, but even after watching tons of videos, I still wasn’t sure how to actually shop in the bulk aisle. I was really intimidated and thought that I would do something wrong, so I avoided it for a while. But after taking the plunge and shopping package-free for the last year, I have become an expert and am super confident in my bulk-shopping abilities (can we make this a super power, please?). Here are some tips for others who are just getting started to help you shop the bulk aisle.
Step 1. Find customer service.
If this is your fist time bringing your own containers to a store, ask a store employee:
- If they can tare your containers or if there is a scale in the bulk section. Most grocery stores with significant bulk aisles (co-ops and Whole Foods) have scales in their bulk aisles, while grocery stores with smaller bulk aisles (Cub and Rainbow Foods) have them at customer service and prefer to tare them for you.
- Ask how many decimal points they use for measuring weight (.1 or .11?).
- Ask if they weigh their items in pounds or ounces.
Step 2. Tare your containers.
Tare is the empty weight of your vessel. If you tare your container before you add any product to it, you avoid paying the weight of your container (yay!). To tare your container (if customer service isn’t doing this for you), place your container on the scale and take a picture of the weight or write it down (note that it is in the correct measurement system for that store).
Step 3. Fill your container.
Add however much of an item you want to your container. Note the PLU or SKU number of your item and write it down or take a picture of it.
Step 4. Check out
Bring all your containers to check out. If the store isn’t very familiar with zero wasters, you may have to be patient as the cashier learns how to to subtract the tare from the total weight. If you took pictures of the tare and the PLU/SKU, you will have to tell the cashier the tare weight first, then the PLU/SKU number.
Step 5. Celebrate
Do a happy dance! You just had your first zero waste shopping experience.
I hope this helps you in your journey to live with less waste!