Looking to progress your zero waste journey by bulking up your eco-friendly efforts?
Then it’s time to start buying from bulk stores online.
Thanks to a new wave of bulk stores (online and brick and mortar), we can order our favorite food, groceries, cleaning, pet supplies, beauty and body care products, without adding loads of plastic packaging to your shopping list.
First, what is a bulk food store?
Well, they’re stores that sell bulk items, either in thoughtful, minimal packaging, or as loose goods you can fill up your own containers with.
Given we’re talking about bulk online shopping, the former is more common, though we certainly appreciate innovative brands offering refillable bulk goods and the like over the internet!
Naturally, some of the best bulk shopping can be done at various zero waste online stores that ship (almost) everything plastic free, too.
Whether you need hand lotion, perishable foods, or restaurant-grade olive oil, you’ll find what you need and won’t have the packaging to show for it.
So what is the best store to buy in bulk?
We can’t narrow it down, so we’ll start with three.
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The Best Online Bulk Stores For Groceries & More
By answering a few simple questions, Thrive Market can tailor your online grocery shopping to your specific needs, without running the risk of purchasing from companies with questionable sustainability practices. We love the extra savings—and not standing in grocery store lines!
If you are headed out shopping though, Common Good makes it possible to buy in bulk by swinging by a local wholesaler to refill, completely eliminating shipping costs and associated waste. We regularly use several of their non-toxic cleaning products that come in refill sets complete with attractive glass bottles.
Index: Online Stores That Sell Bulk Goods
- Thrive Market Jump to brand
- Common Good Jump to brand
- The Good Fill Jump to brand
- Azure Standard Jump to brand
- Miniml Refills Jump to brand
- Saffi Saana Jump to brand
- A Drop In The Ocean Jump to brand
Thrive Market
Thrive Market
Price Range: Varies by products and frequency
Thrive Market makes online bulk food shopping a breeze.
Whether you’re keto, vegan, paleo, or 70+ other diets and values or simply want to know what foods are sustainable, a few simple clicks and Thrive Market will tailor a selection of products from their 6000+ item range.
From that, you can custom create your box of 12–14 items from their huge selection.
Shop packaged foods, fresh foods, frozen foods, meat, zero waste vitamins and supplements, home, beauty, bath, and body.
That includes items unique to bulk shopping, such as frozen goods, sustainably sourced meat and seafood boxes, and wine.
If you think this service sounds expensive, think again. Thrive eliminates middlemen to offer everything at wholesale prices rather than retail ones. Boxes start for as little as $5!
Wondering, “Is it cheaper to shop in bulk?”
With annual plans starting for as little $5 per month and prices 25-50% lower than retail, it sure is with Thrive.
About Thrive Market
As a Certified B Corp, Thrive Market fights for healthy, sustainable food systems, and food equality.
They’ve raised almost $4 million for the cause and collected 300,000 signatures petitioning the USDA to implement online food stamps.
Every online grocery shopping membership purchased also comes with one gifted to those in need.
Between ethical sourcing, zero waste warehouses, 100% recyclable and reusable packaging, maximizing box space, and carbon-neutral ground shipping, there isn’t much Thrive hasn’t done to thoughtfully reduce their impact.
Common Good
Common Good
Price Range: $9–$132
One of the biggest issues with traditional cleaning supplies is the harsh chemicals that wash into waterways, Common Good’s vast selection of cleaning products is free of the pollutants plaguing our waterways.
Stock up on personal care products and non-toxic cleaning products—like dish cleaners, laundry detergents, and surface cleaners—with Common Good’s refillable glass bottles, plastic refill pouches, and 65% post-consumer recycled cardboard bulk boxes lined with an LDPE recyclable plastic liner that contains 86% less plastic than bottles.
Common Good supplies a shipping label for your return shipment of their plastic liners and refill pouches to partake in their Closed Loop program, where any plastic is washed and refilled—no need for the usual recycling.
Because their bulk goods come in sizes up to 2.5 gallons, you can treat them as wholesale sustainable products to create your own refill station.
If you don’t have the space for your own in-home refill station, they’re stocked by a number of other brick-and-mortar bulk shops. Check their refill stations around the US.
About Common Good
A decade ago, Common Good revolutionized the world of refill cleaning products by way of reusable, refillable packaging after noticing the sheer amount of plastic founder Sacha Dunn and her family were using.
We love to see companies who source sustainably, Common Good uses corn products that are non-GMO in their ingredient list and any palm oil used in their products are RSPO-certified.
Their centrally located warehouse helps to reduce their carbon footprint when it comes to shipping however, if you choose Route at checkout, your package is not only insured but also carbon-neutral.
My Personal Review of Common Good’s Glass Cleaner Refill Pouch and Glass Bottle Set:
“I absolutely love Common Good’s glass bottles! They’re thick and sturdy, with a luxe, minimalist vibe that looks stunning in my home. Looks aside, the formulas themselves are awesome. I use the glass cleaner on windows, mirrors, and stainless steel appliances, and it effectively removes the grime, giving a streak-free finish.”
Review by Amber McDaniel, SJ’s Head of Content
The Good Fill
The Good Fill
Price Range: $1–$60
The Good Fill is one of the few stores to offer household staples that are somewhat unique in the world of shopping bulk online, like refillable stain remover, baking soda, and Epsom salt.
They also have more basic cleaners and pantry staples like laundry detergent and all-purpose cleaner, as well as a range of beauty care products like shampoo, conditioner, lotion, and body wash refills.
Easily one of the best bulk stores for liquids, The Good Fill packages theirs in a BPA-free plastic pouch (with 93% less plastic than a bottle) with a pre-paid postage envelope that allows you to ship it back, so it can be sanitized and reused.
About The Good Fill
This bulk buy store is based in Nashville, Tennessee.
Here’s why the hairstylist-turned-owner Megan started The Good Fill:
“I want to tackle the idea that we don’t have enough time, money, convenience or resources to change the habits that consumerism has trapped us in.”
By providing sustainable alternatives to commonly used (and disposed of) products, The Good Fill allows us to think more deeply about our purchases. It brings awareness to the time, energy, resources, and individual efforts that go into each product and packaging.
Their delivery service utilizes compostable or recyclable paper bags.
If you’re in Nashville looking for bulk household essentials near you, you’ll be happy to know that most products are made locally and can be purchased from their brick-and-mortar storefront. You can even bring your own bottles.
My Personal Review of The Good Fill’s Green Tea Body Wash & Refills:
“The Good Fill’s Green Tea Body Wash has become a must-have in my shower routine. The scent of green tea is super fresh and energizing, making my shower feel like a mini spa moment. It lathers up wonderfully and leaves my skin feeling hydrated and soft, without any dryness. Plus, the refillable glass bottle is not only eco-friendly but also looks gorgeous in my bathroom.”
My Personal Review of The Good Fill’s Organic Aloe Vera Gel:
“Was there ever a greater single-ingredient skincare product than aloe vera? For years, before I started testing products for us here at SJ, I exclusively used pure aloe vera to soothe, hydrate, and protect my skin. The only trouble was that all the containers I could find were plastic, so I was thrilled to see that The Good Fill offers an aloe vera gel featuring over 91% organic aloe leaf juice that comes in a refillable aluminum bottle. It works as great as expected, so I’ll be defaulting to them for my aloe vera needs from here on.”
Reviews by Amber McDaniel, SJ’s Head of Content
Azure Standard
Azure Standard
Price Range: $2–$729
Depending on where you live, you may not have a bulk grocery store near you.
We’re not all fortunate enough to have a Whole Foods or Natural Grocers round the corner.
Fortunately, Azure Standard levels the locale-playing field. so to speak.
With this online bulk food store, you can order nearly any food product you can imagine in bulk—grains, beans, sustainable tea, snacks, apple cider vinegar, honey, flour, oil, frozen food, preserved food, and the list goes on!
They also offer some packaged foods and zero waste or refillable products for kitchen and bathroom staples (like soap and biodegradable baby wipes).
You can get an online grocery delivery to your door, or you can join a drop—where you’ll join other eco-conscious individuals to pick up a regular order (and minimize shipping emissions in the process).
About Azure Standard
Azure Standard essentially provides what all of us have been waiting for: “making it affordable to eat healthy”.
While the movement to buy bulk groceries online is somewhat new (to match the demands of our plastic-free lives), this bulk supply store actually started in 1971 when the Stelzer family took their wheat and cattle ranch out of the chemical cycle on which most other farms were getting hooked.
Azure’s core values reflect this decision, namely to inspire healthy and abundant living while embracing change.
This also contributes to their strict product standards, which mean none of their bulk groceries contain artificial additives, preservatives, MSG, GMOs, or artificial colors or flavors.
Miniml Refills
Miniml Refills
Price Range: £2.50–£25
Miniml Refill’s selection of household cleaners, zero waste bathroom products, laundry detergents, and pet supplies like doggy shampoo combines safe ingredients with sustainable practices you can purchase online or in person (if you live in the UK).
Miniml’s bulk goods are proud to guarantee all products are vegan, cruelty-free, and paraben-free.
Which ingredients are used in Miniml’s eco-friendly cleaning products are just as important as what’s not used. Miniml refuses to use toxic chemicals masquerading as “green” options. Instead, all of their formulas are mineral or plant-based and all scents are plant-derived.
Once you place your order with them, the package arrives at your door (in eco-friendly packaging), you refill your containers at home, pop the empty pouch in the postage envelope, and voilà!
You’ve refilled and recycled, Miniml effort involved.
About Miniml Refills
Co-founders Emma and Scott visited a local refill shop during their University days, and compounded on the idea of refillable products by creating a brand that reuses while refilling all of their containers.
Situated in the Yorkshire Moors, the bulk store reuses jugs and pouches already in production and cleans them using nearly 80% solar energy. The cleaning machines are pneumatic or air-powered to reduce energy consumption.
Miniml believes in paying above the living wage to foster a strong work culture of like-minded people behind the common goal of reducing waste.
Saffi Saana
Saffi Foods
Price Range: $8–$85
What is the best place to buy bulk oils online?
That would have to be Saffi Saana.
For the foodie in all of us, they have an extremely impressive selection of cooking ingredients used in Michelin Star restaurants.
They’ve got vinegars and cold-pressed extra virgin oils that will make all your meals spectacular (because what good are bulk ingredients without the right oils?).
You’ll find organic and sustainably sourced ingredients. Meaning they’re raw, unpasteurized, and made without preservatives. Perfect for serving up on your eco-friendly dinnerware.
Even better, these oils and vinegars come either in bulk refill boxes (wine box style) or upcycled wine bottles sourced from partner restaurants (which are properly sanitized).
About Saffi Foods
With a deep appreciation for all the ingredients Mother Nature provides, Saffi Farms wants to give back by protecting our environment—which is why they’re committed to providing zero waste packaging options.
They work with farms around the globe, and their Chilean, Spanish, and Mexican oil and vinegar is commonly used by James Beard-awarded chefs across the United States.
Saffi Farms works directly with farms to ensure transparency for each of their bottled and bulk products (you can take a tour of one if you like).
For shoppers, each product page will tell you where the ingredients are grown (which changes depending on the season), in addition to helpful cooking points like taste notes, suggested pairings, and the smoke point of the oil.
My Personal Review of Saffi Saana’s Saffi Saana’s Bulk Olive Oil Box:
“I’ve tried nearly all Saffi Saana’s oils and vinegars, and I’m consistently impressed with their quality and flavor. However, their 5L bulk olive oil has become my absolute favorite. While it’s a bit of an investment upfront, trust me—it lasts forever. I just bought my second box after using the first one for over a year and a half, which is pretty amazing considering we cook all our meals from scratch and use olive oil multiple times a day.”
Review by Amber McDaniel, SJ’s Head of Content
A Drop In The Ocean
A Drop in the Ocean
Price Range: $4–$41
On the cheaper end of the spectrum, check out A Drop in the Ocean.
From laundry detergent to all-purpose cleaner, you’ll find what you need to keep your house, clothes, and body clean—and do so in a way that will keep our planet clean, too.
You can also source some of those hard-to-find products and DIY ingredients in bulk (here’s looking at you organic witch hazel extract, tooth powder, and dog shampoo).
When you’re ready for your refill, just choose the “refill” option, and you’ll receive a return label to send back your empty container.
About A Drop in the Ocean
A Drop In the Ocean plants ten trees for every purchase through their partnership with Trees for the Future (a total of 13,450 just last year).
Their commitment to oceans is just as strong as their commitment to forests, and they donate 1% of sales to organizations like the Vermilion Sea Institute.
For all orders, they use only reused packing paper and reusable, recyclable, or compostable shipping materials.
Aside from their online ordering services, this buy in bulk store has delivery service in Tacoma, Washington.
I was wondering if you had an updated version of this article? The wally shop is closed. I really found this article helpful and id love to know more.
Thanks for letting us know Frankie, we will remove the Wally Shop! We do update our articles periodically but I don’t think this one is due for a while yet!