Shops / zero waste
Eco-friendly store selling local produce set to open
Containers of dried fruit, bottles of oils and freshly baked loaves are set to descend on Whiteladies Road as a new sustainable store prepares to open its doors.
Opening on Thursday, August 1, Scoop Wholefoods will offer an alternative to supermarkets that use single-use plastic and import their produce over long distances. The store is run by Stephie Mizzi who is hoping to improve grocery shopping’s sustainability, alongside her partner Rich Green.
Stephie says she was inspired by a Maltese couple who emigrated to Australia and have been running Scoop Wholefoods there for six years.
is needed now More than ever
However, Stephie’s eco-dream finally became a reality due to running fitness bootcamps in Somerset. Both Stephie and Rich felt that those attending were becoming more conscious of where their food was coming from and whether the packaging was sustainable.
The storefront of Scoop Wholefoods on Whiteladies Road
Riding on this thought and the ‘Blue Planet effect’, she is hoping to tailor the Australian environmentally-friendly shop to the UK market and in particular, Bristol.
Scoop Wholefoods’ store in Bristol will have a large range of products from spices and nuts, key food staples and treats to floor cleaner and other household essentials.
Yet, none of the produce will be in single-use plastic. Instead, most foods will be in specially designed bins, glass containers or compostable packaging. Similarly, there will be no plastic bags, with customers encouraged to bring their own containers.
“Our commitment is to reduce waste wherever possible, which is why all items will be sold from bulk bins and containers, in glass packaging, or in home compostable packaging,” says Stephie. “Customers will be encouraged to bring in their own containers which can be re-filled. We will also provide recycled paper bags for customers to use.”
Customers will be able to scoop the products they need out of containers
The products themselves will also be local. As Stephie says, while her inspiration may have come from Australia, the many of the shop’s supplies will be from the UK.
Scoop Wholefoods will stock fresh products from independent businesses including bread from Lievito bakery, vegan puddings from Elspeth’s Kitchen in north Bristol, and rapeseed oil from Fussels in Frome. The list of local produce piles high with Kombucha from Frome and spelt from Somerset as well.
Stephie is confident that the new store will be a success, challenging the use of plastic in major supermarkets. In fact, there are already plans for a second store to open in Bath by the end of the year.
Scoop Wholefoods opens at 98A Whiteladies Road on Thursday, August 1, find out more at www.scoopwholefoods.com.
Read more: Lunchbox campaign launched in bid to tackle plastic pollution
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