I want to buy Kitchen storage tins

[Deleted User]

I've spent the weekend searching for kitchen storage tins, for tea, coffee, sugar, bread, utensils, cake and other kitchen/household stuff. I can't find anything in charity shops and I'm shocked at the cost in the shops - I almost fainted in "Cook"!

Do biscuit tins no longer exist, is that why they're not in charity shops? They don't have to be perfect, just functional. I want to send them to a charity overseas, but my budget is really tight. They asked for help and I'm struggling when I thought it would be really easy!

I'm mailing these containers overseas, which is why I don't want glass, ceramic or other breakable material. Dents won't be a problem, just need some containers!

Any help appreciated. I'm in Cambridge.

arbroath_lass

Would plastic tubs from a poundshop not do? They don't look like canisters but they could be used for most of your list.

Hedgehog99

You could ask your friends & colleagues if any of them haven't quite finished their Christmas biscuit tins yet? They might have gone in the recycling by now, but it's worth asking?

...or, if you like biscuits, maybe some shops still have their Christmas ones on sale at discounted prices? Bonus! You get your tin and some biscuits to eat!

Owain_Moneysaver

One of my local Tescos had tea/coffee/sugar canister tins in their housewares reduced section - £2 for coffee, £1 for tea. Stock clearance as discontinued online.

Everhopeful

I would suggest Poundland/Home Bargains /Ikea for the round canister type .
Debenhams have some Christmas ones with biscuits in from £3 (online - I have not checked stock levels)

[Deleted User]

Thank you for all the suggestions. I've asked colleagues at work, with no joy. I've seen the plastic tubs in Poundland and will buy these if I must, but I just fancied something a bit nicer to look at :-)

TK Max has also been suggested to me. I don't know what Home Bargains is and we don't have an Ikea nearby, but I'll check their website.

Thanks again, really appreciate your help X

PasturesNew

It sounds bizarre to me that a charity abroad would need/want you to source and send tins from here. Wouldn't it be better/cheaper to give them money to buy/source them in their country of need?

Did they specifically ask for those items? As they're not things most people have even here in a first world country (they're just for display purposes in magazine adverts) ... it seems bizarre a charity should have a need for them.

Owain_Moneysaver

Have you tried asking tin manufacturers if they would let you have any free as a donation? They might have overstocks, end of lines or denteds.

www.tinwaredirect.com
http://theboxuk.co.uk/

Environmentally, tin is reusable and recyclable and probably better than sending out plastic containers which may end up as unrecycled waste in developing countries.

If used plastic is acceptable, then cafes and sandwich shops will have tubs and buckets that sandwich fillings, mayonnaise etc comes in. Get some children to cover them with wallpaper offcuts.