Sugar, rice and other foods sold in bulk can cost noticeably less than packaged versions, with packaging, promotion and logistics adding to shelf prices.
Examples cited in a television report show granulated sugar priced at about 1.36 manats per kilogram in bulk and 1.50 manats packaged. Cubed sugar was offered at about 2 manats in bulk, compared with 2.90 manats in a package, while rice was priced at 3.50 manats in bulk and 4.50 to 4.60 manats packaged.
The figures are examples from individual stores, and differences can depend on the producer, grade and other characteristics of the product.
Buying in bulk also allows customers to purchase only the amount they need. But a lower price can require closer attention to storage conditions and information about where the product came from.
A Packing Date Is Not a Production Date
One problem with bulk food is that expiration information may not be readily available. When a store packages a product itself, the label may show its weight, price and packing date without saying when the food was produced or how long it had been stored before reaching the shelf.
A recently printed label therefore does not by itself establish that the product is fresh.
Factory packaging has an informational advantage because the label can identify the producer, ingredients, manufacturing date and expiration date. A package does not guarantee higher quality, however, just as a bulk product is not necessarily worse because it lacks branded packaging.
Compare Like With Like
If the same product from the same manufacturer is being compared, the price difference may largely reflect packaging and related costs. Similar-looking products, however, can differ in grade, origin and quality.
Consumers buying bulk food should check the cleanliness of containers and the sales area, protection from dust and moisture, and the product’s appearance. They should also ask the seller about the producer, manufacturing date and expiration date.
Prices are best compared by the kilogram while accounting for the package’s actual weight. That makes it easier to determine whether the packaged version is more expensive and what the additional charge covers.
Source: Vesti Baku