Sugar for free !

[asol]

I'm not claiming anything new here as its been in the forum before but since the feeding season is nigh it may help those who want to keep their sugar costs low.

At around 80p a kilo the bill for syrup or fondant soon mounts especially for those with a few hives. I wont bore you with how I got involved with my local large supermarket but suffice to say they owed me a favour. I couldn't really think of anything except for them to save their sugar collected from ripped and damaged packets.
I asked them to do this for me and they refused (H&S..... company policy.... blah blah.....).
However, undeterred, I popped in next door to a smaller supermarket. Again they refused. It was now turning into a bit of a challenge and so I visited a local discount stall. They were only too pleased to help. I gave them a 30 litre bucket and within an hour they phoned me to let me know it was half full, could I collect it.
Could I ???? Rewarded with a few small taster jars of honey too.

So it seems the trick is to select a smaller stall, be prepared for refusal and make it easy for them.

Not sure how much I'll continue to get but I'm hopeful, it seems to be a win - win situation. They'd have to get rid anyway I presume.

I'd like to plug the stall for applying a bit of common sense but I won't just in case there is something very wrong in allowing foodstuff through the back door - as it were!

These places must get through loads of sugar and if a percentage goes to waste then why not take advantage. Next time you're doing your shopping ask the manager. You might be doing him a favour.


Andrew.

 

[rockdoc]

Well done, I wish more of us did this. Don't ask don't get. The trick now is to keep up collecting the bucket even in the non feeding season, otherwise they will lose interest and stop.

 

[asol]

Good point, and you're right!
I'll have to continue to collect on a regular basis or I'll risk deflating their motivation.

They've asked me to pop round in 3 weeks. That period is quite manageable but if regular I'll create quite a sugar mountain throughout the year.

I suppose my local beekeepers will be only to keen to take some from me if my stores exceed my useage.

Andrew

 

[Margaret Elisabeth]

How sensible, waste sugar keeping the bees alive to later produce honey. Works rather like waste vegetation making compost to produce more growing power.

 

[enrico]

Tried my local stores, all refused. Even if I gave them a jar or two of honey!

 

[asol]

I'm sure it has a lot to do with the manager and his mood at the time.

 

[RosieMc]

I've tried local larger supermarkets for the excess doughnut sugar. Asbo refused point blank, one branch of Sanesbury's give their sugar to a local beek (and only him) whereas another Sanesbury refused due to health and safety bla bla

So, has anyone got an official letter from any of the supermarket head offices saying local branches can give out the discarded sugar to beekeepers?

 

[rockdoc]

I only succeeded by asking the floor manager at our local 'every little helps' mega store. Go above that and you risk appearing on the H&S radar. So far this year I have collected over 300 kilos for our local association. Its worth persevering, but consistent collecting and good manners will invariably get a result.

 

[Tom Bick]

It all comes down to the store and the person in charge. Get them on a good day and you are in with a chance otherwise its a no go. I gave it ago a couple of years ago and hit a brick wall at store level, head office thought it was a great idea but down to individual store they said.

 

[Black Comb]

This idea was discussed on here a couple of years ago.
I tried one local supermarket who said no, so,I asked what they did with the damaged bags. "We use it in the staff canteen" !

 

[waverider]

I'm sure it has a lot to do with the manager and his mood at the time.

Or 'her' mood.

 

[For want of a better word]

Or 'her' mood.

Get grief at my local Tesco manageress even if I pay for it!

Greedily buying all the 10 5kg bags they have at a time preventing other shoppers from buying it !

 

[Dishmop]

I bet they donate it the the homeless at Christmas when they know they are going to get a mention on TV

 

[rockdoc]

Where we do get lucky with a particular store, it does make you think of the volume of sugar which could be collected if the idea was shunted to national level!

 

[Tom Bick]

Cut out the middleman

http://www.britishsugar.co.uk/Media/2012/new_silverspoon_packaging.aspx