Launch of Unpackaged At - Our New Refill Unit For Independent Retailers!
Unpackaged At….
Leading zero waste retailer Unpackaged launches unique retail solution at Welbeck Farm Shop, and plans to roll out across the UK
Catherine Conway, the founder of sustainable shopping solution Unpackaged (and the inspiration for many identikit concepts across the world), has developed a unique retail offering specifically for farm shops and independent delis and retailers. Unpackaged At…– which launches into sustainable shopping pioneer Welbeck Farm Shop in Nottinghamshire this week - offers a series of refillable dispensers for shoppers keen to keep their footprint low. The scheme has been inspired by a more traditional way of shopping, where goods are measured and weighed and do not come in hard-to-recycle plastic packaging.
On offer is an array of cereals, pulses, pastas, rice, nuts, seeds, dried fruit, chocolate and various other raw foodstuffs. The area is bright, well sign-posted and easy to use, with customers being invited to fill up their own containers and weigh it out themselves before taking it to the tills to pay.
Offering refills is different to ‘bulk’ shopping, which can be found around London and the UK but which does not deal with the issue of packaging waste. Catherine says, “With bulk, the customer is offered alternative packaging – often more plastic bags, whereas refill shopping is all about enabling customers to bring their own containers. To do this, we give them the ability to 'tare' and deduct the weight of any container they bring from the overall weight of the goods they are buying, so it's self-service, easy to use, and complies with all legislation on weights, measures and labelling.”
Catherine is launching ‘Unpackaged At…’ at the Farm Shop & Deli Show at the NEC from the 16th to 18th April. Find her at the Bizerba stand, No. W270/W280 at FoodEx (one part of the show). She is also taking part in the panel debate on Monday 16th April, all about how to reduce plastic waste.
Catherine goes on to say, “Earlier this year I launched my concept into Planet Organic shops across London. Moving into farm shops and delis is huge jump for me. More and more people in towns, villages and rural areas are committed to supporting these kinds of shops and it’s a huge achievement for Unpackaged At... to be here. Independent retailers have a huge opportunity to beat the big supermarkets to reducing waste – and shopping ‘by refill’ ensures repeat business! Without getting sentimental, the ‘old’ way of shopping was much, much kinder to our environment. Supply chain was a simpler affair, and bulk offerings allowed shoppers to choose how much they wanted, thus cutting down on packaging and food waste. I’m incredibly proud today. It’s a massive step in the long journey towards a truly zero waste weekly shop.”
Catherine founded Unpackaged in 2006 at market stalls around east London before opening a small shop in central London selling over 700 products in bulk, offering a solution to the growing problem of packaging waste. Since then, she has worked with countless entrepreneurs around the globe, helping them to set up similar shops in their own markets. Today, Unpackaged leads the way in retail and consultancy services tackling packaging at all stages of the supply chain. She continues to speak, write and campaign on all things Zero Waste.
Retailers who sign up to ‘Unpackaged at…’ will get everything they need to set up a refill section within their existing store, and Unpackaged will support them every step of the way to make it a success. Retailers will receive AN easy to install unit holding 10 gravity and 15 scoop bins - giving them the space to sell 25 products from a compact 1m x 2m footprint. Their partner Bizerba gives them a high spec weighing scale that allows customers to tare, or zero, their own containers themselves, reducing any operational burden on staff. Additionally, Unpackaged has partnered with Grenke to offer a finance package for retailers, enabling them to pay a quarterly rental for their Unpackaged unit, helping to get them up and running quickly without an initial big investment, and manage cashflow.
www.beunpackaged.com
The Welbeck Farm Shop is open seven days a week. Mon-Sat 10:00am to 5:00pm — Sun 10:00am to 4:00pm. Nestled in the heart of Sherwood Forest in Nottinghamshire, Welbeck is conveniently located on the A60, just 15 minutes from the A1 and M1. For more information, visit www.welbeckfarmshop.co.uk
-ENDS-
Notes to editors:
For any further information about Unpackaged, about Welbeck Farm Shop, or about Planet Organic, please contact Hannah Norris at Nourish PR on 07881 805000 / hannah@nourishpr.com
