Would You Buy from a Grocery Auction?

Grocery auctions are growing in popularity across the United States. Consumers that are looking to save money, may find that grocery auctions provide the savings they have been searching for. When coupon savings and grocery store sales aren't enough, many consumers are willing to trying something new. But the question is....would you buy your food from a grocery auction? Should you have to?

The Associated Press reports that the popularity of grocery auctions is on the rise, and provides an easy way to cut costs for consumers. Grocery auctions, which are highly popular in the Midwest and areas like Pennsylvania, sell leftover or damaged goods from grocery stores, restaurant suppliers, and distribution centers.

One auctioneer, Kirk Williams, of Col. Kirk's Auction Gallery, tells A.P. that at his first grocery auction, held in February 2009, nearly 300 people showed up to place bids. Amazed at the turnout, he began scheduling even more auction. A complete list of his auction dates can be viewed here.

What type of items are sold at a grocery auction? A wide variety of perishable, and non-perishable items are up for bid. Some of the perishable items on the auction list include meat, seafood, frozen vegetables, ice cream, frozen appetizers and entrées. Non-food items on the list include toilet paper, paper towels, tissue, and cleaning supplies.

What kind of deals can you find at these auctions? Pretty good ones, actually. However, there is one little catch to the bargains you'll be receiving at a grocery auction. If you're a stickler for eating food by the "sell-by-date", you may not want some of the perishables available. Not all of the food, but some of it, is at the auction because they are out of date. The auctioneers stress that the food is still edible and safe. Really, it all depends on how needy you are to save money.

Don't get me wrong. I'm all about saving money, and getting things at a cheap price. However, I hardly feel that grocery auctions should be celebrated. Knowing that hard working Americans across the country are willing to hand over their money for borderline expired groceries, saddens me. While we, the "little people" go without, or at least, settle for second best, what are the big bail-out executives eating for dinner? Will they, too, be at the grocery auctions, pinching their pennies? HARDLY! They'll be dining at fine restaurants, eating gourmet food, on OUR DIME.

What about our President, Barack Obama? Will he and his wife be in line, with their innocent daughters in tow, bidding on their next meal? Absolutely not. They may be hosting another extravagant dinner party at the White House, but certainly not eating food that has been auctioned off.

It truly saddens me that any American would have to settle with buying their food from a grocery auction. In these tough financial times, however, we have to do what is necessary. My hope is that soon, we will all be in a better place financially, and be receiving what we deserve. A fair and equal opportunity.

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SOURCES:

http://apnews.excite.com/article/20090324/D974KCGO0.htmlhttp://auctionsbykirk.com/Auctions