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Green store says 'bring your own bag'
Katharine Barney, Evening Standard08.11.07
A shop where customers have to supply their own packaging opens today.
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.
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Reader views (5)
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I love this concept - and agree that the supermarkets should follow suit. But I think that there is a fourth 'R' - Repair. Not enough electrical goods, shoes or clothes are repaired before being binned. Mostly this is because things are not manufactured to be repaired but we should try.
- Cat, Blackheath
This store goes much further than just encouraging people to bring their own carrier bag. It asks people to bring back the bottles they bought their fabric conditioner or shampoo in and refill with more liquid! If you want any nuts, pulses or rice - bring a container or bag and just refill with the actual goods. It's number two of the '3 R's'. Re-use. (Reduce and Reycle being the others)
The marketing machines use packaging as an extension of their advertising. When you look in your cupboard it is one big battle of logos and branding. By re-using packaging especially if it's a clear plastic container, then you can begin closing down the advertising hoardings your home and kitchen have become!
To extend this further -
A supermarket could be a big refilling depot. We take our well designed tough, re-usable containers and fill up with what we want... cornflakes, olive oil, apples, cheese - whatever. For perishables other ideas could be utilised. A deposit given for the containers, so we bring them back for cleaning and sterilisation even, and we can confidently consume the product. NOT THE ADVERTISING!
Why haven't the supermarkets, in their great wisdom come up with this idea? They have lauded themselves as the pinnacle of innovation. Why can they not use they ingenuity and imagination to make this a reality? Because waste is not seen as a problem, and advertising a necessary evil to maintain profit.
- Jeremy Cassidy, Seven Sisters
We are years behind the Republic of Ireland, were they have been paying for bags for at least the last four years. Within weeks you did not see a plastic bag on the street unlike here were in avoiding running over one with the buggy you get a second rapped around the wheel on the other side.
Also the yearly payment for rubbish collection has gone down but they can only put out a set weight about one normal bin bay full, evey kilo over a surcharge is made to that house, so those who recycled paid less than before and if you don't you pay for it was two euros per kilo I believe.
- Paula Byrne, Essex
