Third annual celebration encourages consumers to cut down on food waste and love bulk foods
Portland, Ore. – The Bulk is Green Council (BIG), a non-profit organization dedicated to increasing consumer, retailer and grocer awareness of the environmental and economical benefits of buying foods from bulk bins, is once again partnering with retailers across the country to celebrate National Bulk Foods Week. Now in its third year, the celebration will take place October 13-19 at grocery stores and co-ops across the country.
Did you know that purchasing foods from the bulk bins plays a significant role in helping to reduce consumer food waste? A recent press release from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) stated that roughly 30 to 40 percent of the food supply in the United States goes to waste. Further, the EPA reports more food goes into landfills nationwide than any other single material in municipal solid waste, and in 2010 alone Americans generated more than 34 million tons of food waste.
However, according to a recent study conducted by the Portland State University Food Industry Leadership Center (FILC), the main reason consumers shop the bulk foods aisle is for the ability to buy the exact quantity needed. As a result, consumers said bulk items were less likely than packaged items to be thrown away, which results in less food waste.
With more than 1,000 retailers participating in National Bulk Foods Week this year, the annual celebration is one way BIG encourages more consumers to be conscious of the waste they produce. During National Bulk Foods Week the companies that comprise BIG offer special discounts on select natural and organic bulk foods to retailers that can then be passed along to consumers. What better time than National Bulk Foods Week to get shoppers excited about the bulk foods aisles and their environmental benefits? Shoppers can find the update-to-date list of participating retailers at bulkisgreen.org.
See BIG’s infographic that shows how bulk foods help address the issue of food waste in America and that also highlights the numerous benefits of shopping the bulk foods aisle.
ABOUT BULK IS GREEN COUNCIL – Bulk is Green Council is an organization dedicated to increasing consumer, retailer and grocer awareness of the environmental and economic benefits of buying natural and organic in bulk. Founded in 2008, the council serves as a research and advocacy group, conducting and publishing studies on industry trends and offering educational tools and resources online. The board includes industry leaders Attune Foods, Frontier Natural Products Co-Op, Lundberg Family Farms, SunRidge Farms and Trade Fixtures. Additional information is available at BulkisGreen.org.
