My Plastic-free Life - Topic: Bulk Barn - You suck!

spanish200 on Bulk Barn - You suck!

Sun, 02 Oct 2011 09:52:33 -0700

The Main Ingredient in Peterborough, (probably the oldest existing bulk store in Canada started in the late 70's) and the sister store, Suntree Natural Foods Marketplace in Port Hope, encourage their customers to bring their own bags, will reuse donated grocery bags (they have a sign that they did not buy a single plastic carry-out bag for their first 30 years of business) , allow customers to take advantage of reused jars and containers that have been donated and when that does not work for a customer they have only biodegradable grocery bags and their containers are much stronger so that they can be used over and over. Perfect? No but they are constantly working at making the world a better place. Oh and their prices are lower than BB too.

Beth Terry on Bulk Barn - You suck!

Thu, 29 Sep 2011 12:44:22 -0700

There are lots of bulk food stores in the U.S. that let you use your own bags/containers. What state are you visiting?

AliceMartel on Bulk Barn - You suck!

Thu, 29 Sep 2011 06:26:43 -0700

Bulk Barn, Canada's largest bulk food retailer, does not allow people to bring their own bags and containers (for hygiene? My containers are clean and I am the one eating the food, not you!). You suck. Not happy with, never shopping with you.

Instead they use plastic bags that I don't think are recyclable. I had sent them an email a few years ago (never got answer), about making their bags biodegradable / compostable (way before the use of reusable bags and containers entered my mind). I can tell they don't give sh** about the environment.

I also called Market Organics, my favourite health food store (Ottawa, Ontario), and asked them if they allowed containers, and they said yes! They don't have has much as Bulk Barn, but enough. Going over right now and buy some plastic-free bars of soap and bulk food items! Gotta check what food I need first.

Are they any other bulk stores in Canada?

What about the US? If I go over to the States, I will get some bulk food at the same time.