DAY 9 Zero Waste Challenge: Bulk Groceries
More and more supermarkets and stores implement a bulk buying section, where you can usually find nuts, flour, sugar, spices, grains, cereals and candy. You can find a bigger variety of products in a zero waste store near you, if you're lucky enough to have one. But even so buying in bulk the products that are at your disposal will still have an impact and help the environment.
Every step matters, and the more people to join the bigger the impact is. When buying in bulk you should have cloth bags and jars with you, in which to store the produce. Also, there are two ways to ensure you are not paying for the weight of your containers. Either utilize the TARE option on the scale in the bulk aisle or write the weight of the container while it is empty, including the lid, for the cashier to deduct at checkout.
Facts on food waste across Europe:
- 88 million tons or 173 KG of food are wasted each year in EU.
- 170 million tons of CO2 emitted from production and disposal of EU food waste.
- 'Best before' labeling indicates the date after which an item of food may still be eaten but might not be at it's best in terms of quality (53% of consumers do not know the meaning of 'best before' labeling).
- 'Use by' labeling indicates the date after which an item of food is no longer safe to eat (60% of the customers do not know the meaning of 'best by' labeling).
- Most of the food in the EU is wasted by households with 53% and processing with 19%.
- According to Eurostat, 55 million people (9.6% of the EU's population), were unable to afford a quality meal every second day in 2014.
Challenge:
- Locate a store nearby that sells bulk and package-free items.
- Bring in your own containers, eg. mason jars, cloth bags
- Don't forget to TARE weight your containers and label them.
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