Food in bulk bins?

Hello everyone,

I've been in the UK about three years now, and there's only something I've just noticed now - in all the major supermarkets I've been to, I haven't ever come across an aisle of 'bulk' foods - bins of cereal, nuts, dried fruit, crackers, sweets you weigh out in a bag without the packaging - things very common in the US at most of the major stores. Different from the Costo kind of bulk, just from a big container where you take as much as you choose.

Is this kind of thing to be found over here anywhere, and if not, is there a reason why?

Thank you. 

There used to be sweets pick n mix at Woolies before they closed, but nuts and dried fruits not so much.

Have a strong feeling its down to health and safety. I know when I was in the US and worked in supermarkets, the produce guys always told us to avoid those bins like the plague because of contamination, etc. People just would eat straight from them...

There's a chain called "Food Weighouse" (I know there's one in Barnsley), that just has loose food in bins. Never been in myself as the idea doesn't sound very hygenic and I guess thats why major supermarkets don't do it.

http://www.foodweighouse.com/home.html

The US stores that do it right these days dispense such items in a hygienic way, akin to a gum ball machine.  You turn the "tap" on and product pours out into your bag until you have what you want.  It's a one-way street, so to speak, so hands and fingers can't get in.  Generally things that are still in bins that you scoop out are in their own individual wrappers.

The only store I've ever found which has these bulk bins is Whole Foods (this is both here and in the US...never encountered these bins in the US in my regular supermarket).  I know that the WF in Kensington has them.  Not sure about other shops here, but those who know I'm sure will chime in.