The smell in Natural Weigh, a zero-waste shop that opened up in Crickhowell, Wales, is lovely. It is chock-a-block with all sorts of great things like pasta, grains, seeds, and dried fruit served from hoppers to avoid plastic packaging.
The shop also has ethical washing-up liquid and laundry products you can pump into your bottle, fair-trade coffee and chocolate, and a bunch of other environmentally friendly products, such as plastic-free dental floss, bamboo toothbrush holders, and vegan leather snack pouches.
Natural Weigh is part of a quiet revolution of zero-waste stores. No one is sure exactly how many there are, but they are growing in number. They are all over the place, from Brighton, Bristol, Bath and north-east London to other less obvious places.
Environment preservation is the way forward
The bludgeoning growth of zero-waste shops in the UK is because more people are becoming environmentally conscious. Plus, many UK government initiatives, such as the Net Zero strategy and Green Deal, have also been prominent driving forces behind the zero-waste movement.
So if you want to join the movement, as Waste2ES always emphasises, here are the top seven factors you must consider to open your very own zero-waste grocery store:
1. Choose your location wisely
The success of your store depends on the location, yes. Do not be put off if you decide to set up a zero-waste grocery store in a suburb instead of the city centre. Your business located five miles away from a major train station in a residential area can do better than one that is only a ten-minute walk from a station, in the heart of the city.
Even though environmentally conscious shoppers are everywhere, you will find that suburban zero-waste grocery stores are usually frequented by customers who come in to do their weekly shopping locally. On the other hand, a store in the city centre might see a lot of tourists popping in to buy the occasional item.
It is, therefore, essential to think about how many people live in your area and where the nearest bulk offering is. We suggest doing a survey in the area or on social media groups for the local community to find out what people want.
2. Market your shop creatively
Marketing is the key to the success of any business, and a zero-waste grocery store is no different. You will obviously need to set a budget for it if you do not have the capacity in-house or want to do paid advertising. But it is vital to be bold and think big when it comes to getting the word out about your shop.
In marketing, social media is one of the best platforms to take advantage of. Make sure to introduce the people behind the brand to potential clients. Today’s customers love to connect with a face, so put a face to your zero-waste brand.
On the other hand, appeal to your customers and stay on top of current trends. Strong visuals can give your brand a good name and make it more appealing to those you sell. Another great way to market your store is by participating in local events and exhibitions.
3. Structure your shop smartly
Again, like most things, this will depend on your budget. How your zero-waste grocery store is set up can greatly impact how well it does. Aesthetics and ergonomics will make your business stand out. If you can afford it, get some help with the design of your store.
You want to look professional. While the quality of the products you sell is essential, a well-designed shop will show customers that you care about every aspect of the business.
4. Manage your inventory sustainably
To make it easy for customers to do their grocery shopping all in one place, try to keep everything under one roof. When it comes to what to stock, dried foods like pasta and rice are a great place to start but do not be afraid to experiment.
Fresh foods and a deli counter can help you reduce the amount of plastic packaging you use. Think about also collaborating with local farmers and producers.
You can give them accurate predictions of how much food will be needed and assist them with better techniques and knowledge to increase farm productivity. This will reduce carbon emissions, keep money in the community, and strengthen the demand-supply chain.
Consider getting an ERP system in place. It can help to track orders, design more accurate inventory orders, analyse the shelf life of each product, avoid cross-contamination, prevent overstocking, and more. Implementing a system like this can help them save thousands of pounds worth of food.
5. Be conscious while choosing equipment
Getting the right equipment for your zero-waste grocery store can really help improve customer satisfaction. Customers do not like using scoops or having to remove container lids.
Evidence suggests gravity bins are a much better option for dried goods. They are more appealing and easy to use. Think about the quality and price of the food dispensers you buy.
Try to go for equipment made of recycled plastic or other sustainable materials. The goal is to be eco-conscious every step of the way!
6. Source products in the most sensible way possible
Many food items are available in bulk paper packaging from food vendors, and they also come at discounted prices. If you are left with plastic packaging and do not know what to do with it, sell it to companies that recycle or reuse it and pump some money back into your zero-waste grocery store. You need to think creatively to find countless ways to improve sustainability. Tell your suppliers you will only receive products if they are shipped in recyclable packaging.
7. Go green when packaging your food items
After buying them from other vendors and suppliers, you can package what your zero-waste grocery store sells in recyclable, compostable, and biodegradable containers. Use plain packaging or biodegradable labels or create custom packaging for them.
You could even make your own black-and-white labels using a thermal printer that does not require any ink. Depending on the scale of your business, the goods can be packaged at your house or warehouse.
Make sure the packaging meets the requirements for cleanliness and food allergies. Another option is to outsource the packaging to pre-packers.
8. Promote food waste management at the shop
Quite often, food waste happens at the last stage of the supply chain when customers do not pick up goods that are about to expire or are wonky-looking.
You can take the opportunity to educate customers about the difference between ‘best by’ and ‘use by’ dates on the packaging, so they do not chuck out still-good food.
In addition, adopt practices like using recycled materials for packaging, clearly labelling expiration dates, giving clear instructions for freezing, thawing and cooking, and designing the packaging to make it easy for customers to take out the amount they need without wasting the rest of the food.
Over to you
So with a few simple steps, you can make your zero-waste grocery store successful and help the environment at the same time. Remember to choose the right location, smart marketing strategies, attractive store design, and sustainable inventory and equipment management.
Additionally, source products eco-consciously, such as purchasing in bulk paper packaging and finding ways to recycle or reuse the packaging materials. Opening a zero-waste grocery store takes a different approach than operating a regular shopping business. Are you ready?
