The Simple Things - 04.2020

W

hen Richard and Nicola Eckersley

opened Earth.Food.Love in Totnes,

Devon, in March 2017, it was, as far as

they know, the first zero-waste shop

in the UK. Three years later, there are

more than 250, not just on aff luent,

independently-minded high streets, but on industrial

estates, in rural market towns and even in mobile vans.

Bulk-buying shops selling dried wholefoods to buy by

the gram have been around for decades, offering a frugal

alternative to branded, overpackaged supermarket aisles.

The new generation of zero-waste shops also offer

experiences and the chance to interact with like-minded

people. In these sleekly designed spaces, some of which have

cafés, offer meeting spaces or host workshops, communities

gather, activism f lourishes and social enterprise blossoms.

It’s no coincidence that so many zero-waste shops started

after Blue Planet II called millions of television viewers

to action. As consumers despaired at the amount of plastic

packaging in their shopping baskets, young entrepreneurs

and campaigners answered the call. By encouraging

shoppers to fill their own

reusable containers with dried

foods, oils, vinegars, detergents

and toiletries, zero-waste shops

share the common purpose of

reducing plastic pollution. Many

also stock plastic-free non-food

items, such as reusable nappies,

chewable toothpaste and shampoo bars.

But there’s more to the concept than eschewing

packaging. Buying only what you need, reduces food waste

• a huge contributor to greenhouse gas emissions – and
  helps with household budgeting. Look around your nearest
  zero-waste shop and you’ll probably see local honey,
  preserves, soaps and sometimes fresh fruit and veg, offering
  a chance to funnel your pound into the local economy
  and reduce food miles. Zero waste; exponential benefit.
  We asked you to tell us about your local zero-waste
  shops and we were inundated. These listings, based on your
  recommendations, are just the tip of the iceberg. To find a
  zero-waste shop near you, visit thezerowastenetwork.com.

"Zero-waste shops

share the common

purpose of reducing

plastic pollution”

ALSO RECOMMENDED:

The Store, Bedford (thestoreuk.

co.uk); Wholesome Weigh,

Hitchin (@wholesomeweigh);

The Refill Room, Leigh-on-Sea

(shor.by/therefillroom); Bamboo

Turtle, Letchworth Garden

City (bambooturtle.co.uk);

Silo, Maldon (@silo_zerowaste);

Ernie’s Zero Waste Shop,

Norwich (ethicalernie.co.uk),

Re.source, Norwich

(@re._source); The Refill

Pantry, St Albans

(therefillpantry.co.uk);

REco Store, Tiptree

(@the_recostore)

EAST

Norfolk Natural Living,

Shirehall Plain, Holt, Norfolk.

norfolknaturalliving.com

O Norfolk Natural Living, in

the rural market town of Holt,

is a beautifully curated shop

specialising in luxury eco-

conscious cleaning and garment

care products. For owner, Bella

Middleton, every product starts

with a simple idea – an answer

to a problem – which she

researches and plans a recipe

for, using the power of plants.

Each product is locally made,

bottled by hand and finished

with the brand’s distinctive

pared-back utilitarian label.

The shop also has refill stations

for all their bottled products.

CHANNEL ISLANDS

The Guernsey Weigh, St Peter

Port, Guernsey (theguernsey

weigh.gg); Mini Mall, St Helier,

Jersey (gominimall.com); The

Sustainable Cooperative, St

Lawrence, Jersey (scoop.org.je)

Norfolk Natural Living

Earth.Food.Love in Totnes

W

hen Richard and Nicola Eckersley

opened Earth.Food.LoveinTotnes,

Devon, in March 2017, itwas,asfaras

they know, the first zero-wasteshop

in the UK. Three years later,thereare

more than 250, not just onaff luent,

independently-minded high streets, but on industrial

estates, in rural market towns and even in mobilevans.

Bulk-buying shops selling dried wholefoodstobuyby

the gram have been around for decades, offeringa frugal

alternative to branded, overpackaged supermarketaisles.

The new generation of zero-waste shops also offer

experiences and the chance to interact with like-minded

people. In these sleekly designed spaces, someofwhichhave

cafés, offer meeting spaces or host workshops,communities

gather, activism f lourishes and social enterpriseblossoms.

It’s no coincidence that so many zero-waste shopsstarted

after Blue Planet II called millions of televisionviewers

to action. As consumers despaired at the amountofplastic

packaging in their shopping baskets, young entrepreneurs

and campaigners answered the call. By encouraging

shoppers to fill theirown

reusable containerswithdried

foods, oils, vinegars,detergents

and toiletries, zero-wasteshops

share the common purposeof

reducing plastic pollution.Many

also stock plastic-freenon-food

items, such as reusablenappies,

chewable toothpaste and shampoo bars.

But there’s more to the concept than eschewing

packaging. Buying only what you need, reducesfoodwaste

• a huge contributor to greenhouse gas emissions– and
  helps with household budgeting. Look aroundyournearest
  zero-waste shop and you’ll probably see local honey,
  preserves, soaps and sometimes fresh fruit andveg,offering
  a chance to funnel your pound into the local economy
  and reduce food miles. Zero waste; exponentialbenefit.
  We asked you to tell us about your local zero-waste
  shops and we were inundated. These listings, basedonyour
  recommendations, are just the tip of the iceberg.Tofinda
  zero-waste shop near you, visit thezerowastenetwork.com.

"Zero-waste shops

share the common

purpose of reducing

plastic pollution”

ALSORECOMMENDED:

TheStore,Bedford(thestoreuk.

co.uk);WholesomeWeigh,

Hitchin(@wholesomeweigh);

TheRefillRoom,Leigh-on-Sea

(shor.by/therefillroom);Bamboo

Turtle,LetchworthGarden

City(bambooturtle.co.uk);

Silo,Maldon(@silo_zerowaste);

Ernie’sZeroWasteShop,

Norwich(ethicalernie.co.uk),

Re.source,Norwich

(@re._source);TheRefill

Pantry,StAlbans

(therefillpantry.co.uk);

REcoStore,Tiptree

(@the_recostore)

EAST

NorfolkNaturalLiving,

ShirehallPlain,Holt,Norfolk.

norfolknaturalliving.com

ONorfolkNaturalLiving,in

theruralmarkettownofHolt,

is a beautifullycuratedshop

specialisingin luxuryeco-

consciouscleaningandgarment

careproducts.Forowner,Bella

Middleton,everyproductstarts

witha simpleidea– ananswer

toa problem– whichshe

researchesandplansa recipe

for,usingthepowerofplants.

Eachproductis locallymade,

bottledbyhandandfinished

withthebrand’sdistinctive

pared-backutilitarianlabel.

Theshopalsohasrefillstations

foralltheirbottledproducts.

CHANNEL ISLANDS

The Guernsey Weigh, St Peter

Port, Guernsey (theguernsey

weigh.gg); Mini Mall, St Helier,

Jersey (gominimall.com); The

Sustainable Cooperative, St

Lawrence, Jersey (scoop.org.je)

Norfolk Natural Living

Earth.Food.Love in Totnes