Zero Waste Grocery Stores and Shops
Is it even possible to shop non-plastic products in a supermarket?
Shelves are full of plastic-wrapped packages and plastic bags for fresh vegetables and packed meat wrapped in plastic. A lot of groceries are pretty much wrapped in plastic or come in bags made of plastic.
A zero waste grocery store sounds like a dream store. But yes, it really exists. And not just one - but several stores have started to open around the world.
The company who made a head start in 2014 is called Original Unverpackt, which is located in Germany. They sell bread, fresh vegetables, cleaning products and anything you can think of from any grocery store but without the plastics. Customers bring their own containers to fill dry-goods to buy in bulk. Day by Day is another role model supermarket which launched 78 locations in France, Belgium & Luxembourg. They only offer products in quantity on demand to prevent food waste, and favor the products of local French origin as much as possible. Wow, that is so cool that they are reducing greenhouse gas emissions as well! Also, making food locally fosters diversification of local agriculture which improves soil and helps the land.
And there are more stores like this popping up in some other countries, too.
What about the US? Do we have stores like that? I struggled to find zero waste grocery stores which sell fresh produce and baked goods along with other groceries like Daddy’s beer etc and it seems like those types of stores often close down within a few years.
But I found quite a lot of zero waste refill stations in Los Angeles where we ! This is exciting! A Los Angeles Times article from 2020 shows locations of refill stations. We must spread the names of the stores!
Imagine, you get fresh produce from farmers markets or even supermarkets buying non plastic wrapped veggies and fruits, and buy dried-goods, refill bath and body products from these stores. We started to see the possibility of a zero waste life!
We all have much less awareness of environmental protection than we should. For example, school teaches us how bad plastics and pollution are but these same schools are full of single-use plastics especially in the cafeteria. Also some parents drive kids to school despite living only blocks away.
I know bringing jars and eco bags to the store and buying produce by weight is a little more effort than what parents would prefer. But kids should speak out because parents would listen to us! (or at least hear us if they are busy...) Printing out this LA times article and putting it on the wall would help everybody to be aware of the environment.
If people are busy, food shopping will not be the priority. I understand it is an extra step finding non plastic goods. But this will make you and your family feel good at the end.