We’re gradually extending the number of products we offer ‘unpacked’ from our bulk dispensers. This means you can bring your own containers, cutting out packaging altogether. The range is on average 10% cheaper than the standard kilo price for the same goods when they come in bags, and currently consists of the following products…
- 41% muesli
- Porridge oats (organic)
- Jumbo oats (organic)
- Pumpkin seeds (organic)
- Sunflower seeds (organic)
- Linseeds (organic)
- Sesame seeds (organic)
- Basmati rice (organic)
- Red Lentils (organic)
- Puy Lentils (organic)
- Chickpeas (organic)
- Black turtle beans (organic)
- Walnuts (organic)
- Cashew pieces
- Brazil nuts
- Almonds
More to follow!
You just bring a clean, dry container (bag, jar, box, whatever!) and use the scale at the dispensers to weigh it – this gives you a barcode to stick on. Then fill your container, scan and weigh again, and you’re done.
We’re also providing paper bags while folk are getting used to bringing their own, but the idea long-term is definitely to reduce single-use packaging use of any kind (bearing in mind that paper has a high carbon footprint, maybe even higher than plastic). We’ve also got re-usable cloth bags (starting at 69p) or glass jars if you need them.
The gradual roll-out is allowing us to monitor the level of customer uptake and the implications of this system for staff labour, costs, space, time and shop floor congestion! A wholescale transition to ‘unpacking’ the two hundred or so own-brand lines we currently pack down would be quite an undertaking, involving a pretty major physical restructuring of the shop, big changes for our staffing (we create hundreds of hours employment each week in the packing room) and indeed our whole commercial model (these products account for almost a quarter of our sales) so we’re taking it slowly, but it’s definitely something you’ll be seeing more of.
Read more on our approach to packaging use here.
