ANOTHER eco-friendly shop has explained why they chose a ‘zero-waste’ and what they are doing to promote a sustainable shopping approach.
The Blue Pantry shop on Fore Street, Wellington, opened three years ago after its outdoor-loving owner, Gary Todd, realised how much plastic was at sea.
Mr Todd said he wanted to “give something back to the community” and decided to open an eco-friendly shop following the example of a store based in Totnes.
The shop has a similar approach to another store, Lesser Litter, based in Taunton, which has ‘zero-waste’ as their final aim.
He also said: “I have always loved the outdoors and over time I realised there was so much plastic in the sea and so I was just thinking ‘what can I put back in the community?’
“The shop in Totnes was the first one I saw and I loved the concept. It’s all about refills. People can bring whatever they have at home, empty shampoo bottles, empty laundry bottles.
“Everything is environmentally friendly, non-toxic, and safe for sea life and animals.”
Mr Todd also said he was able to build a strong customer base that helped him during the Covid pandemic.
A photo showing some of the products and spices available at the shop
He said: “I created a customer base before Covid I have been able to stay open throughout the pandemic.
“People are attracted by the fact that they can buy as little or as much as they want. It’s not an expensive shop so there’s little food waste. They often come here with recipes and only buy spoonfuls of spices, it’s great for bakers.”
Mr Todd also welcomed Morrisons supermarket ‘zero-waste’ trials and said he wished “every supermarket had a filling station”.
He also said how the amount of time required to fill shops might have put big supermarkets off the idea, which can however work for independent shops.
For more information about The Blue Pantry shop, visit www.thebluepantry.co.uk
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here