Going Once, Going Twice … Grab Your Groceries at an Auction

Supermarket shoppers who pride themselves on savvy shopping by using coupons, cyclical sales and other tricks now have a new venue for buying dirt-cheap groceries – their local auction house.

Grocery auctions are now being held in at least nine states. They’ve grown increasingly popular as families seek to save a few bucks by bidding on steeply discounted meats, dairy products, frozen foods, canned goods and other items that might be just a few days past their “sell by” date. Discounts of as much as 50% can be found. Many of the items, which could be somewhat damaged, come from supermarkets, distribution centers and restaurant suppliers. And many formerly brand-loyal shoppers have been persuaded by recessionary times to overlook dinged cans or expired dates to get more for their money.

The “sell by” dates aren’t mandated by the Food and Drug Administration but are used by manufacturers to help inform consumers of the optimum period in which to consume foods for best flavor and quality.

Grocery auctions are not only good news for penny-pinching consumers, they’re a boon for auctioneers, who have watched more traditional auctioned goods like antiques and collectibles dry up, according to the Associated Press.

At Colonel Kirk’s Auction Gallery in Millville, Pennsylvania, an upcoming grocery auction will feature Oscar Meyer hot dogs, Healthy Choice soups, toilet paper, frozen vegetables, Tyson chicken, mandarin oranges and much more. Bidders are advised to bring a cooler for the frozen items.

Would you be willing to forsake your favorite brands for foods with expired “sell by” dates if you could save a lot of money by doing so?

Tags: grocery acution, grocery auctions, save money on groceries

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