Green store says 'bring your own bag'

Islington store Unpackaged sells groceries loose and asks shoppers to use their own bags to carry their purchases home, helping to cut down waste.

The shop is the idea of 30-year-old Catherine Conway who first tried out the idea at London markets. The former-charity worker said: "The idea stemmed from this being my ideal way to shop. I got fed up with throwing away so much packaging and all the waste of carrier bags.

"I kept mentioning the idea to my friends and they all said they would shop somewhere like this. Soon so many people knew about it that I couldn't not do it."

The store specialises in organic produce, including fruit, vegetables, cereals, grain and rice, sourcing fair trade goods whenever possible and favouringsuppliers that are co-operatives or social enterprises. It also has a "plastic surgery" where people can dump unwanted plastic bags, which are then donated to local charities.

Customers who forget to bring their own packaging can buy an ecofriendly version for 50p.

Ms Conway said: "Unnecessary packaging is a waste of resources and money. Unpackaged is about rewarding people for re-using their containers and doing their bit to tackle our wasteful culture. We help people save money and the environment." The shop, in Amwell Street, was being opened today by Sian Berry, the Green Party candidate for London Mayor.

Latest figures show that Londoners use at least 1.6 billion bags a year - the equivalent of 213 per person - but only one in 200 is recycled.

London councils are considering introducing a levy of up to 10p on plastic bags to encourage consumers to recycle and retailers including Tesco and Marks & Spencer are testing bag-charging schemes.