Hi Rhys,
It’s probably very location specific and item specific, but our bulk sections are usually cheaper (and sometimes dramatically so)– but obviously not always. And yes, quality will depend entirely on the processes of the individual grocery store.

You can also look online to check out bulk pricing, which may also help with the quality concern as it will be packaged with an expiration date. I saved immensely buying a 25lb bag of lentils, for example, from an online provider and because they were fairly large the product was fresh and has lasted.

Another way to tackle it is investigating whether a grocery store can either order and/or sell you a bulk bag of whatever item. A local grocery store offers this service, and is selling the big bags of many kinds of dry goods (beans, lentils, etc) at wholesale + 10%. We do this with items we use a lot as they are quite versatile (chickpeas, pinto beans). If the bag is too large and you can’t go through it in time, you could perhaps split it with people you know.

Good luck!