AD – This post is part of a paid partnership with Nothing Wasted.
Like many of you, I am very conscious of the impact that I have on the planet. I try to recycle as much as possible and cut down on buying thing with unnecessary packaging – and that is much easier said than done! Nothing Wasted is a new family-run zero-waste shop that opened in December 2020 and aims to make help people on their journey to a low-waste lifestyle by making zero-waste shopping more accessible to everyone! I am thrilled to feature this brilliant new local business on my blog, and I hope you love them as much as I do.
Nothing Wasted is an essential shop, so remains open during the national lockdown. For this blog post, I caught up with Freya Ranyard, one of the co-owners and founders who runs the shop with her Mum, Dad and sister. Keep reading to find out more about their journey and why you should visit Nothing Wasted.
What is a ‘zero waste’ shop?
A zero waste shop is somewhere you can purchase products knowing your impact on the environment is as minimal as practically possible. They tend to take the form of a refill store, where you take your own tubs and jars to fill with products like cereal, flour, sugar and herbs and spices. You pay per kilogram of product, so it’s like a pick and mix for groceries! Most refill shops also sell household goods like washing up liquid, shampoo and conditioner and washing detergent that you can fill your own bottles with.
How it started
Nothing Wasted is a family-run refill and waste-reducing solutions shop in Newport Pagnell. You can find it next door to Market Hill Greengrocers, which in my opinion, is the perfect location because you can buy your fresh produce and your dry groceries on the high street.
The idea for the shop came from Freya’s younger sister, Ella, who challenged their parents to go zero waste by the time she goes to university. The family found it counterproductive travelling all over to other refill shops and further afield to farmer’s markets for fresh produce, so they decided to open their own shop! Freya was made redundant last year, providing the perfect opportunity for a new family venture.
Everything in the shop was fitted our by Freya’s Dad, and pretty much everything is reused from something else. Palettes, apple crates and shelving have all been given a new lease of life to create a cosy, welcoming shop where nothing has truly been wasted!
“Refill shops like Nothing Wasted are not a new concept, but have made a huge resurgence in recent years due to the awareness of the impact of plastic.”
www.sophieetc.com
What can you buy at Nothing Wasted?
You can buy dried goods such as pasta, lentils, pulses, rice, flours, sugar, cereals as well as coffee, loose leaf tea, spices, snacks and sweets (I told you it was like pick n’ mix for groceries!) You can also stock up personal care products like shampoo, conditioner, body wash and lotions. Just make sure you bring your own bottles and containers!
You can also buy some brilliant goodies to help you reduce the number of single-use household products you own. Think compostable sponges, tea strainers, reusable cotton pads and cotton buds.
The team at Nothing Wasted has a strong support local mindset too, so you’ll find local producers that share their environmental ethos. Minkiemoo Bakery creates exclusive vegan bakes, Wooden Hill Coffee is an ethical local coffee roaster and Gerry’s Pantry makes infused oils and spreads – Once you’re done, just return your bottles and jars. This all helps to contribute to more of a circular economy.
How it works
Here’s a little step by step guide to using a refill shop!
- Visit the shop with your containers. I recommend taking glass jars or Tupperware that you already have – this is the best way to be the lowest waste you can be! And don’t forget to take a bag to carry your goodies away in.
- If you don’t have enough containers, Nothing Wasted has recyclable paper bags or a selection of glass jars that other customers have bought in. The team wash them out, weight them and add a barcode so the magic scales can weigh what’s inside the jars when you come to fill it with something!
- Weigh your own containers on the scales.
- Choose your products. You can either fill your containers yourself, or someone is always on hand to help you out.
- Weigh your filled containers and pay. It’s that easy!
What I bought from Nothing Wasted
I am trying to avoid the supermarkets at the moment so am definitely going to be frequenting local shops more. You can pick up most of your essentials from Nothing Wasted, and if you need fresh produce, you can head next door to Market Hill greengrocers and spread the local love!
I bought some spices (smoked paprika, turmeric and chilli powder) and took these home in recyclable paper bags to pop into my reusable jars at home. I also bought some popping corn and sea salt, both of which were weighed out and I took home in one of the spare glass jars that you can use from the shop in case you forget yours.
I took home a bag of Wooden Hill’s house blend which is a beautifully rounded cup of coffee, I highly recommend! A bottle of Gerry’s Pantry Chilli Infused Oil also dropped into my basket… I’m looking forward to trying this. Gerry’s Pantry is Rugby-based and Nothing Wasted is currently the only stockist in this area.
If you have any spare glass jars at home, you can take them to Nothing Wasted so they can be used by other customers.
www.sophieetc.com
Refill shops like Nothing Wasted are not a new concept but have made a huge resurgence in recent years due to the awareness of the impact of plastic. You might remember ‘Weigh & Save’ on Bletchley high street if you grew up in Milton Keynes. They make so much sense because it cuts down on unnecessary plastic packaging and you only pay for what you buy.
I loved visiting Nothing Wasted and finding out more about the story behind the shop. It really is a lovely shopping experience with great personal service that you just don’t get in a supermarket.
Nothing Wasted is open Monday, Friday and Saturday 9am – 5pm, Tuesday – Thursday 9am – 7pm. Find Nothing Wasted at 105 High Street, Newport Pagnell, MK16 8EN. A stock list can be found online: www.nothingwasted.co.uk.
Have you visited Nothing Wasted yet? Have you ever been to a refill shop?
You might also like:
- The Independent Milton Keynes Guide to Sustainable Businesses & Initiatives
- The Independent Milton Keynes Guide to Lockdown Shopping
DISCLAIMER: This post is part of a paid content campaign. Click here for my full disclosure policy.
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