The future of REFILLABLE GROCERIES
More than 80%* of us say we’d buy refillable groceries. So what are supermarkets doing to make it happen?
The results of our most recent sustainability poll show that almost half (47%) of Good Housekeeping readers rank plastic pollution among the environmental issues we most urgently need to tackle. As a result, roughly the same number of you actively look for plastic-free products when you shop. However, as many of us are all too aware, this is no mean feat when single-use plastic packaging is still such a common sight on supermarket shelves. According to Greenpeace and the Environmental Investigation Agency, roughly a third of all the plastic used in packaging in the UK is single-use plastic produced by the top 10 supermarkets. So, could plans by some of the UK’S leading supermarkets to introduce ‘refillable’ grocery options (which allow customers to fill up reusable containers instead of buying prepackaged products) help us shop more sustainably?
REFILLABLE ROLL-OUT While small, independent eco stores and farm shops have long championed the concept of ‘zero-waste shopping’, by the end of this year more of us should have access to refillable groceries in mainstream supermarkets. Waitrose & Partners, Morrisons and Marks & Spencer – all of which have been trialling refillable grocery stations in a handful of stores – have said they’ll start rolling out a wider range of loose or refillable products both in-store and online. Ocado will also be offering products in packaging that can be returned and reused. The supermarkets expect to offer dry goods such as pasta and cereals first, plus products like washing-up liquid and handwash.
WILL IT COST MORE? The limited range of ‘loose’ products (such as fruit and veg) that’s currently available in some supermarkets means that unpackaged produce can cost more than packaged options. However, both Marks & Spencer and Waitrose & Partners estimate that using their refillable ranges could cost 15% less than buying packaged versions of the same products. ‘When you buy loose produce or refillable groceries, you can buy exactly what you need for the week ahead,’ explains GH cookery director Meike Beck. ‘This can help keep your shopping bill down and could reduce the amount of unused groceries you have lurking in your kitchen cupboards or fridge. The key is to plan your meals carefully.’
Visit goodhousekeeping.com/uk/ plastic-free-shop for more information