How to shop at a zero waste store

Why I love zero waste stores 

There is no perfect way to live a zero waste lifestyle but having convenient shops that carry zero waste options makes things a whole lot easier. There has been an increase in stores that are geared towards helping their customers reduce their waste by offering refill options and eco friendly swaps to everyday items. Instead of buying new containers every time we go to the grocery store we can bring our own container and just refill it! 

 Not only are these stores offering refills on grocery items but also household goods like laundry detergent, hand soap and even pet wash! Aside from refills these shops sell goods that can be reused multiple times which eliminates the need for single use items such as paper towels, plastic straws or sandwich bags. 

It is a really cool concept! Of course bars of soap in paper packaging have been around for a while and life without single use plastic existed before now but in today’s world it really is convenient to have a centralized spot that offers a more eco friendly way to shop. 

Since this way of shopping is a bit different than standard American shopping I wanted to offer the steps I found helpful as I have transitioned to shopping at my local zero waste store.

Make a list of what you NEED

A big part of living more sustainably is also adopting a minimalist mindset. All of the zero waste shops I have seen have been aesthetically impressive. They really do make me want to buy everything and change the world with all of my new found treasures. BUT that is a bit counterintuitive. The whole point of these shops is to reduce waste so if you buy things you do not need it is defeating the purpose and creating more clutter in your home. This could result in potentially more trash going to the landfill when you realize you actually didn’t need the extra item.

Assess where you are now in your journey

 Before even stopping by the zero waste store I think it is important to assess what you need or where you want to start off first on your zero waste journey. 
For example, starting in your kitchen is a great place to start! Many homes create the most waste in this area. I have never really been a fan of paper towels so using a kitchen cloth is just fine. At zero waste stores they sell Swedish dish cloths that absorb lots of water just like a paper towel. Although these are cool and are a great eco swap they do not really make sense in my kitchen for now. Right now, using a simple kitchen towel works fine for me. To avoid over spending, creating clutter and simply consuming more than I need it is helpful to access what I can reuse or repurpose at home rather than going out and buying something I do not really need.

Collect your reusable bags & containers  

I feel like the easiest zero waste swap is the reusable grocery bag! And of course you can’t forget it when stopping by the zero waste store. They are so easy to find these days. I know I have even gotten a few free from different events or workshops I have attended. 

Next, make sure you pack some containers to fill your goodies in. Make sure they are clean and ready to fill up. Bonus tip: our zero waste store accepts containers as a donation if they are clean and can be used by someone else to refill. Check and see if your zero waste store does the same. I was really grateful to use a free container last time I stopped by the store.  

Reuse containers you already have

I like to reuse old jars from pasta sauce, peanut butter etc. Sometimes you have to wash them a few times to get the smell out. It is way more eco friendly to reuse jars you already bought rather than going out and buying brand new containers just to use for refilling. 

To be honest though, I have a mixture of jars that were reused and some I bought new for something specific (pump container for coconut oil). I also have found some great containers thrifting. Lastly, this is slightly embarrassing but also no shame. If I see someone about to throw out a container that could be repurposed I will ask them if I can have it. Obviously I only ask friends and not strangers lol.

Choose an effiecient zero waste container 

Pouring coconut oil from the jar into your hands gets annoying after a while and can be quite messy. Think about when you get your refills how it will be easiest to use these items in your everyday life. I have found that liquids are best in pumps. Jars are best for small items or things that can be scooped i.e. toothpaste tabs. A dishwasher block needs some sort of bowl to rest in. Beans need a jar. Fresh bread needs a reusable bag. You get the idea. Zero waste shopping takes a little bit more thinking up front to figure out the most efficient way to implement it all in your lifestyle and daily routines. 

At the store! Yay! You made it to the zero waste store. Hopefully all of the preparation tips were helpful earlier in this post and you are feeling ready to find some amazing swaps. Before you start looking around I would suggest weighing all of the containers you brought. Even if you do not end up using all of them you do not want to accidentally fill up without knowing the weight of your item. Once you have weighed your container make sure to write the weight directly on the container (with a wax pencil), in your phone or whatever method that store uses. 

Then start shopping! 

The zero waste store here has funnels to help get the product into your container and avoid messes. They also have cloths you can use if you accidentally overfill or make a mess. I like to buy a small portion of a product before purchasing a full containers worth of product. It is a story for another day but one time I did get an allergic reaction to a laundry detergent I used at a zero waste store. That is not to deter you but just to say if you have the opportunity to try just a bit of the product before buying a months worth then do it! That is a great benefit to zero waste shops. 

Once you have everything filled up and maybe found some other sustainable swaps go ahead and make your way to the register. 

They will weigh your refills and determine the cost. Something to note about this is that unlike normal grocery stores you do not know the price of the item until you get to the register (unless you are calculating as you shop). Of course there will be a tag on the bulk item that says how many dollars per ounce/pound etc. and you can calculate it. Once you start going more often you will get better at gauging how much you need. 

Then you are all set! Hopefully you brought your reusable bags to take home all your goodies. 

 Bonus tips 

• Don’t worry if you did not bring a container or you see something you want and don’t have a container for it. Most zero waste shops have containers to purchase.
• After shopping it is helpful to the store and the earth if you post a photo on social media tagging the store. It helps to get the word out there about the low waste movement and you never know who has not heard about the store in your community! If you are not on social media it can also be a good goal to tell as many people as you can about the shop and your shopping experience. In order to keep our zero waste shops in our community we have to support them with not just our dollars but also through spreading the word about them. 
• Don’t fret if you do not have a zero waste store near you-there are options! Packagefree.com and earthhero.com offers some great single use plastic alternatives. Places like Amazon and Target are now starting to carry zero waste swaps but try to support your local shops or shops that are 100% committed to sustainability when possible. 

I hope you found these tips helpful and feel ready to stop by your local zero waste store. Please leave a comment and let me know how your zero waste shopping experience went! 

Also, make sure to sign up for the newsletter to get posts sent directly to your inbox so you don’t miss anything!