Do You Use Refill Shops?

[moonsi til]

We only have one refill shop locally that I’m aware of which I have used since opening & the owner has now a few years later become my next door neighbour which is an extra incentive to use it.

I refill every 6 weeks on average & my regular products are non bio laundry liquid, fabric conditioner, washing up liquid, shampoo , conditioner, vinegar, olive & sunflower oil, rice ,pasta, loose tea & herbs & spices when required. I need to add toilet cleaner as didn’t realise the shop sold it till recently. As it’s a small business it needs all the customers if can get however I am surprised by how so few folk I know locally who use it due to effort & perceiving it to. expensive. There are items I don’t buy as they are out of my budget such as nuts & coffee but otherwise it’s budget friendly.

 

[iona]

I do for stuff like soap, cleaning products, oil, vinegar, soy sauce, pasta, pulses, oats, plus some snacky things like crisps and flavoured nut mixes I'd only want in small amounts anyway. I try to buy nuts and dried fruit that way but they can work out a lot more expensive so if I'm doing a load of baking or something I'll go with the cheap supermarket ones in plastic. Flour comes in paper bags which are easier to recycle so I don't make so much effort there - there used to be a refill shop just around the corner from me with a little self-service grinder to make your own flour which was great for more specialist stuff, I've not been able to make rye bread the way I like it since that closed. Spices work out cheaper getting the big 99p bags from the asian supermarket round the corner, so I'll only buy those loose if it's something I only want a tiny bit of and hardly ever use.

 

[iona]

I've started asking to use my own bags or containers in other shops whenever I buy something loose too. Lots of places are fine with it.

 

[David Clapson]

I didn't know they existed.

 

[farmerbarleymow]

Not seen any round here - remember them back in the 80s.

 

[yield]

Not seen any round here - remember them back in the 80s.

Me neither. Apparently there is one in Uxbridge, I will email Refill Uxbridge - Refill - Uxbridge joins the Refill Revolution

 

[farmerbarleymow]

Me neither. Apparently there is one in Uxbridge, I will email Refill Uxbridge - Refill - Uxbridge joins the Refill Revolution

I have the fear that you'd be buying stuff with scabs in that had fallen off other peoples' hands who'd been shopping there before.

 

[yield]

I have the fear that you'd be buying stuff with scabs in that had fallen off other peoples' hands who'd been shopping there before.

Worth looking though.

 

[farmerbarleymow]

Worth looking though.

Be difficult to find a scab in a large tub of muesli though.

 

[Callie]

I have the fear that you'd be buying stuff with scabs in that had fallen off other peoples' hands who'd been shopping there before.

Extra protein!

 

[farmerbarleymow]

Extra protein!

I feel sick.

 

[Callie]

I didn't know they existed.

They are around.



There has been a weigh and save in Croydon for donkeys years. More recently there is one opened a bit further away Pendricks zero waste in Caterham.

 

[moomoo]

I feel sick.

This thread has ensured that I will never use a refill shop.

 

[farmerbarleymow]

This thread has ensured that I will never use a refill shop.

mmm...chewy

 

[moomoo]

mmm...chewy

I’m putting this thread on ignore

 

[Boudicca]

There are a couple close to me but they are not top of mind and when I walk past I don't have any containers with me. My car+supermarket habit is a hard one to break, although I do try to buy loose rather than packaged veg, don't use plastic bags and curse a bit at overpackaged stuff.

The closest one to me put lots of energy into it and was constantly adding new lines, but my observation was that she would run out of money as her turnover probably didn't justify her spending.

She is now 'crowd-funding' to pay her rent.

Sadly, I'm not sure they are financially viable as they don't have the buying power to compete with the big boys. Is you neighbour managing to make a living moonsi til ?

 

[moonsi til]

I’m not sure about making a living as such but the shop has been open a few years -I’m guessing 4 ish & since then she had freezers & oat milk but stopped these as costly. Recently starting selling hot drinks & cake too. However her posting a use it or lose it post did prompt this thread.

I have managed to get into the habit of going every 6 weeks or so & would be annoyed if I had to buy any of my items elsewhere now unless the container was going to be useful for future refills.

I’m surprised by how few of my friends go due to the additional effort & perceived cost. When I go I usually share what I bought & how much for to show to people it’s less money than you think & reply is often ‘I keep meaning to go’.

 

[Monkeygrinder's Organ]

I'm definitely a 'keep meaning to go' person. Got to admit I haven't really checked costs properly, I have a vague feeling it will cost more because the ethical option generally does but then there is a saving on packaging presumably. It's the convenience though really - I get shopping delivered so getting round to going to the shop just doesn't really happen.

 

[stdP]

We've been using the local one since we moved here - it was the only place I found selling liquid soap in bulk so that I didn't have to buy a new dispenser every time it ran out. Chucking away perfectly usable bottles and containers has always been something I've hated (and there's an annoying amount of plastic bottles out there seemingly designed so they can't easily be opened to be refilled).

We've basically got a bunch of 2-3l containers sitting in a cupboard for the bulk refills - we use these to top up the original bottles. Once the "big" container runs out, it gets put in the Big Shop Rucksack to remind us to refill that container next time we're up.

Whilst this may all sound frightfully organised, our refill shop also has a shelf full of empty containers for people to use (basically random empty bottles) for nowt.

 

[TopCat]

How much is 500ml of washing up liquid? An example a it were.

 

[DaveCinzano]

I have the fear that you'd be buying stuff with scabs in that had fallen off other peoples' hands who'd been shopping there before.

Extra protein!

Fun-size black pudding (human flavour)

 

[Epona]

None near here from what I can tell.

 

[platinumsage]

I'd use such a place for soap, but I'd be wary of the olive oil and other stuff that can go rancid or stale.

 

[sleaterkinney]

You don’t use your hands, there are shovels there. We use Naked Larder and the stuff you get in there is much better quality than the supermarkets .

Zero Waste Store | Naked Larder | England

Naked Larder offers communities a different way to shop. We buy dry goods and eco-friendly cleaning products in bulk to minimise packaging and reduce cost. You order online and then collect from us using your own reusable containers.

www.nakedlarder.co.uk

 

[moonsi til]

How much is 500ml of washing up liquid? An example a it were.

£1.16 for washing up liquid

ETA: 1.5L Sesi non bio laundry liquid is £4.35

 

[bluescreen]

There's one near me but I've never been in as I'm not sure what it stocks or how it works, whether it's self service (which has always put me off for reasons given above) or how fresh the bulk food products are, or free from weevil eggs etc. Don't like to go in without buying anything as it's a small shop run by enthusiasts.

It makes me realise I put an unhealthy trust in brands and their need to protect their reputation, which in turn depends on the quality of inspection and sanctions. I like to know where things come from and how they are produced so filling up from an anonymous container of flour or walnuts doesn't massively appeal.

 

[xenon]

I have use the one near me a little bit. They’re washing up liquid isn’t as good as the main brands. For spices nuts and things they are fine. I haven’t done a price comparison to be honest. but I hate buying peppercorns, cuman seeds, in stupid little packets or jars. So refill makes sense.

 

[xenon]

What is all this squeamish about self service. Jesus. they have a tap that opens at the bottom of the jar on most things. Or a scoop on the top. imagine other people dirty hands of been touching all those vegetables, opening doors and pushing your trolley around in other shops.

 

[bluescreen]

What is all this squeamish about self service. Jesus. they have a tap that opens at the bottom of the jar on most things. Or a scoop on the top. imagine other people dirty hands of been touching all those vegetables, opening doors and pushing your trolley around in other shops.

Yeah, I've used those self-service dispensers with taps in French supermarkets and they are fine. I don't think they are standard though, and some places have open sacks.

 

[8ball]

I refill every 6 weeks on average & my regular products are non bio laundry liquid, fabric conditioner, washing up liquid, shampoo , conditioner, vinegar, olive & sunflower oil, rice ,pasta, loose tea & herbs & spices when required.

I bet that tastes fucking awful.