FEMAIL reveals how much money you can really save on bulk purchases

Food prices in the UK are rising at the fastest rate in more than a decade, and inflation is rising to seven percent as the food cost crisis rumbles.

Many shoppers go to budget retailers including Lidl and Aldi to save money – with the price of pasta up 10 percent, while lamb has risen 17 percent and oils and fats have risen as much as 34 percent, according to the consumer price index.

Rising inflation and the slow rise in wages have led many Britons to turn to wholesalers to buy bulk products to save expensive money.

Many food wholesalers who usually serve restaurants, grocery stores and leisure attractions were forced to quickly change their business model to offer online orders to anyone who was locked in when businesses closed and supermarket shelves were left bare.

Some, including JJ Foodservice, have continued to sell to the public while others like Costco have always sold the wholesale price directly to household customers.

The American cash-and-carry chain Costco has 29 stores in the UK, and to shop there, customers have to pay a membership fee, and the store earns only $ 3.8 billion a year in membership fees.

Customers wishing to get their hands on a valuable membership card must own their own business and register as a trade member at a cost of £ 26.40 per year.

Non-entrepreneurs can also register as individuals (for £ 33.60 per year) but need to work in or retire from certain professions, including: – banking and finance, local authorities, civil protection, airlines, education, central government, the armed forces, healthcare and insurance.

Those who are qualified as accountants, architects, surveyors, lawyers and engineers can also join.

Online membership only – at a cost of £ 15 per year – is also open to everyone.

Customers can easily do this back, with products that cost significantly less than buying them in the supermarket

UHT milk at Costco costs only 9p per 100 ml, while at Sainsbury’s it is almost six times as much at 59p per 100 ml.

Instant coffee is also twice as expensive at Sainsbury’s compared to Costco, while essentials such as olive oil and sugar are also half the price of Costco.

Costco also often offers technical items at a discounted price, including TVs, smart watches, grills and coffee machines.

The supermarket – worth an astonishing $ 245 billion – even has a jewelry department where you can buy gold bars.

Alcohol is also hugely discounted – a bottle of Mirval wine costs £ 14.59 compared to £ 19 at Tesco. Barefoot Pinot Grigio costs £ 5.59 at Costco and £ 6.75 at Waitrose.

A liter bottle of Smirnoff Red Label costs £ 16.89, while it is £ 21 at Tesco. Jack Daniels is almost a quarter cheaper per liter and costs £ 24.49 at Costco and £ 32 at Tesco.

At the same time, the national wholesaler JJ Foodservice encourages consumers to buy in bulk and says that they offer chef quality at home – for only a fraction of the price.

As a leading supplier to hotels, restaurants and pubs, the wholesaler has a wide range of “chef quality ingredients at wholesale prices”, including first-class steak cuts.

However, they let anyone register on their website and order goods online.

“We sell many foods including fresh poultry, cheese, vegetable oil and flour in slightly larger packages, but the savings are really worth it,” Chief Product Officer Sezer Ozkul told FEMAIL.

“You can buy a fresh British beef fillet from just £ 4 per steak – they usually cost around £ 25 at a restaurant!”

“We sell them in packs of five, so once you are in touch with some friends or neighbors, you can eat quality food at home at an affordable price.”

The JJ Home range contains more than 600 items that are significantly lower than the corresponding product sold in a supermarket.

Lamb neck fillet in the supermarket is 53 percent cheaper than Waitrose, while eggs are 20 percent cheaper than Sainsburys and flour is 175 percent cheaper.

Other wholesalers, who began selling to the public during the pandemic, have continued to serve individual customers, with the exception of registering for membership.

The specialty supplier First Choice Produce sells a selection of meats and vegetables directly to the public, while All Greens Wholesale, which has been supplying some of London’s most beloved restaurants and hotels for several years, now delivers directly to homes across London.

Nature’s Choice, which supplies food to Ascot, the Olympics, the Royal Albert Hall and Wimbledon, also supplies all of London.