ZERO WASTE SHOPPING

 

 

 

What is a zero-waste shop?

 

A zero-waste shop enables customers to live a more zero-waste lifestyle through eliminating packaging and encouraging the use of containers from home to fill and refill with bulk wholefoods, natural beauty and cleaning products plus much more.  

Zero waste shops are a relatively recent movement that has come about to show that physical stores can still exist and thrive without adding to the earth’s problems. Afterall, online shopping isn’t without its downsides either. But, as the general population becomes wiser to today’s environmental issues, an increasing number are choosing to seek out a dedicated alternative to buy their goods from instead. 

With the economy reopening after the COVID-19 lockdown, it’s an opportunity to support small, zero waste businesses that are helping to make a difference, instead of rushing back to supermarkets that thrived during the pandemic.  

 

What are the benefits of zero waste shops? 

 

There are so many benefits that can be pointed out to choosing zero waste shops, but here are a few of the most popular reasons: 

1. They cut out the packaging. This is what makes zero-waste shops special. The products aren’t individually wrapped which cuts all the excess cardboard and plastic that would usually come home with a shopping trip and end up not recycled by swapping plastic bags with our own repurposed containers or glass jars and paper bags. 
2. Less food goes to waste. Empowering shoppers to choose and purchase only the exact quantity of ingredients they need; they aren’t obligated to buy predetermined portions of food which may be partly thrown out. This also means that you are only paying for what you really need, for example when creating a one-off recipe, and therefore saving money from the set prices in grocery shops. 
3. Buying in bulk is more appealing. If you know there’s something you’re going to get through a lot and need to regularly stock up on, then you can bulk buy the raw produce from a zero-waste shop and save yourself many repeat trips. This will reduce the frequency of your shopping overall, meaning less carbon emissions if you take your car each time, and save yourself valuable time too.  
4. Help with leading a healthier lifestyle.  Buying from a zero-waste shop isn’t just about the amount of food you need, but what it is you’re eating. Supermarkets give us endless options for processed foods whether it be sugar and fat-filled snacks or not-very-nutritious ready-made meals. Zero waste shops supply wholesome, often locally sourced ingredients to create healthier dishes from ourselves. They’re a great means of cutting out junk food and forcing yourself to get more imaginative with your cooking! 

 

One of the simplest ways we can be more sustainable is to make eco-friendly swaps in our homes, offices, and on-the-go. For example, picking up a reusable cutlery set saves thousands of plastic forks and knives from ending up in landfills. Imagine the collective impact we could all make with these small shifts. 

 

While it hasn’t always been easy to find zero or low waste shops, there are stores out there to help us live a greener and cleaner lifestyle. 

 

 

At The EcoFairy, our goal is to help you build a more sustainable life by offering you a line of reusable products. We offer products that last and that will help you reduce the amount of plastic you use.     

 

More info on our website: https://www.theecofairy.com