National Bulk Foods Week

National Bulk Foods Week celebrates the environmental and economic benefits of buying natural and organic foods in bulk. The observance encourages shoppers to explore the bulk-foods aisle, where they can choose the exact quantity they need rather than buying a predetermined package. This flexibility may help reduce food waste, while using less packaging can lessen the amount of material sent to landfills. Bulk shopping can also offer savings compared with packaged foods; one 2011 report described average savings of 30% to 50% for natural and organic foods.

The week was introduced by the Bulk is Green Council (BIG) in 2010, when the promotion was observed as National Bulk Foods Day on October 23. It expanded to a full week in 2011, running October 16–22 that year. BIG’s goal was to educate consumers about the affordability and environmental advantages of bulk shopping and invite people who had never tried it to explore the aisle. Retailers have participated with bulk-food promotions, in-store signage, and opportunities to try products in quantities ranging from a pinch to a pound. A 2012 announcement from BIG described the week as a way to celebrate the reasons to shop in bulk and encourage new consumers to give it a try.

How to Observe National Bulk Foods Week

Celebrate by visiting a grocery store with a bulk-foods aisle and exploring its selection of natural or organic foods. Buy only the amount you need, whether that is a small quantity of a spice or a larger amount of an ingredient. Try a new spice, or choose dried fruit and nuts to assemble your own snack mix. If you are new to bulk shopping, learn more about the event’s goals and benefits before your visit.

Exclusive Content

Enjoying Checkiday? It takes a lot of support from fans like you to run a free website. For exclusive content and other perks, please consider supporting us on Patreon. Thank you!

Sponsor

This event does not currently have a sponsor. If you'd like to increase visibility for this event while gaining exposure for yourself or your brand, you can learn more here.

Something Wrong or Missing?

We would love to hear from you! Please contact us using this form.

Observation Notifications

Would you like to be notified before the next observation? Add this event directly to your calendar with this link. You may also sign up here to be told when other notifications are available!