No-Packaging Grocery Stores in the UK

When it comes to grocery shopping, especially in your local supermarket, there is a heck of a lot of packaging involved.

The UK creates tonnes of waste and considering we’re such a small country, it’s pretty crazy when you consider how much:

The average UK household produces more than a tonne of waste every year!

We can all do our bit to reduce this by opting to shop as packaging free as possible. Even starting small can help.

Table of Contents

No-Packaging Grocery Stores in the UK

There are plenty of packaging-free grocery stores in the UK, so you’re sure to find something nearby to help you get started on your plastic-reduction journey.

Many dried goods and fresh fruit and veg can be purchased without the need for plastic to get involved – get your jars and Tupperware at the ready and get yourself to the nearest zero-waste grocery shop.

NOTE: Always check with the shop first before assuming you can fill your own containers. Some shops will have purchasable containers which once you have, you can refill when you please.

Scotland

Aberdeen – Food Story – loose foods, vegetables, bread

Edinburgh – The New Leaf Co-op – loose foods, baking products, oils, vinegar, nut spread

Edinburgh – Real Foods – wholefoods

Edinburgh – Demijohn’s oils, vinegar

Edinburgh – Farmer’s Market – fruit, vegetables

Edinburgh – I J Mellis – wine, eggs, cheese

Glasgow – Society Zero – loose food

Glasgow – Locavore – loose organic grains, pulses, flours, herbs, spices, fruit, vegetables

Glasgow – Vino Valentino – wine

Glasgow – Demijohn’s – whisky, oils, vinegar

Glasgow – Grunting Growler – beer

Inverurie – The Green Grocer – herbs, spices, oils

Perth – Highland Health Store – herbs, spices

Yorkshire & North East

Burley – Waste Not – dried food, liquid refills, spices, other zero waste products

Cleethorpes/Louth – Spill The Beans – cereals, flour, sweets, dried fruits, baking supplies, other foods

Consett – Weigh and Save – unpackaged food items

Gateshead – The Paddock – vegetables, organic milk

Harrogate – Jarfull – baking supplies, cereals, nuts, dried fruits, grains, snacks, treats

Hull – Alan’s Naturally – nuts, rice, lentils, herbs

Leeds – Leeds Repair Cafe – leftover foods

Leeds – The Jar Tree – cereals, grains, flour, bread, seeds, nuts, snacks, sugar, salt, powders

Leeds – Kirkgate Market – a variety of plastic-free shopping

Leeds – The Nutshop – nuts, lentils, oats, spices, chia seeds, grains

Malton – Scoops – spices, flour, rice, pulses, grains

Newcastle – Grainger Market – fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, grains, flour, other foods

Newcastle – Far Place Vegan Store – charity shop with some vegan foods

Sheffield – Down to Earth – grains, pulses, cereals, detergent refills.

Sheffield – Student’s Union Zero Waste Shop – nuts, seeds, grains, herbs, spices, legumes, dried fruits

Sheffield – Just Natural – dried fruits, nuts, fruits, vegetables, eggs

Sheffield – Value Foods – fruits, nuts, grains, cereals

Sheffield – Beeches of Walkley – detergent refills, frozen foods

Skipton – Keelham Farm Shop – loose foods, fruit, vegetables

York – Alligator Wholefoods – loose foods, detergent refills, fruit, vegetables

York – Demijohn’s liquid refills

North West

Bolton – A Small Good Thing – fruit, vegetables, loose bulk foods

Cumbria – Fletchers Fruit and Veg fruit, vegetables, sweets, detergent refills

Lancaster – Single Step Whole Foods – loose foods, fruit, vegetables, bread, detergent refills

Liverpool – LIV Organic and Natural Food Market – loose foods, cereal, fruit, vegetables

Manchester – Unicorn Grocery – fruit, vegetables, bread, nuts, grains, pulses, alcohol

Merseyside – Waste Not Want Not – loose dried food, detergent refills

Prestwich – Village Greens Community Co-op – loose foods, fruit, vegetables, bread, baked goods

Midlands

Birmingham – Clean Kilo

Bromsgrove – Nature’s Intention – dried beans, pulses, nuts, seeds, cereals, fruit, flour, oil, vinegar

Coventry – Coventry Market – fruit, vegetables, grains, nuts

Derby – Soundbites – fruit, vegetables, nuts, seeds, grains, detergent refills

Hereford – Fodder – spices, detergent refills, fruit, vegetables, bread

Leicester – Zero Waste Leicester – nuts, seeds, fruit, vegetables, cereal, baking supplies

Ludlow – The Broad Bean – loose foods, deli items, detergent refills

Market Harborough – Refill Revolution – loose foods, fruit, vegetables

Market Harborough – Nature’s Pantry – nuts, grains

Moseley, Birmingham – Indigo Wholefoods – detergent refills, fruit, vegetables

Northampton – ‘Scoop and Save’ at Northampton Market – herbs, seeds, spices

Shrewsbury – Snapdragon Wholefoods – loose goods, detergent refills

Worcester – Pack It In – grains, rice, flours, pasta, oils, vinegar, seeds, nuts, herbs, spices, cereals, dried fruits, baking supplies

Nottingham – Nottingham Zero Waste Collective (pop-up shop) – bulk food, personal care items, zero-waste gifts

South West

Bath – Harvest Natural Foods – grains, nuts, seeds, dried fruits, fruit, vegetables, detergent refills

Bath – New Leaf Health Foods – cereals, chocolate, spices, teas

Bristol – Zero Green – cereals, beans and pulses, pasta, grains and rice, nuts, seeds, spices, herbs, flours, tea and coffee

Bristol – Scoopaway – loose foods, herbs, spices, detergent refills

Bristol – Harvest – loose foods, detergent refills, fruit, vegetables

Bristol – Wild Oats Natural Foods – loose foods, detergent refills, fruit, vegetables

North Somerset – Scoop and Spice – loose foods, detergent refills, pasta, cereals, rice, spices, nuts, grains, flours

Weston-Super-Mare – Replenish – nuts, seeds, grains, detergent refills

Taunton – Lesser Litter – loose foods

Wells – The Good Earth – detergent refills, fruit, vegetables

Totnes – Earth Food Love – loose foods, detergent refills

Devon – Save a Packet – loose foods

Exeter – The Real Food Store – loose foods, oats, rice, pasta, dried beans, pulses, cereals

Topsham – Nourish – oats, cereals, oils, vinegar, rice, grains

Truro – The Refill Store – cereals, pasta, rice, oats, grains, pulses, beans, dried fruits, nuts, seeds, vinegar, herbs, spices

Causewayhead – The Weigh Inn – loose food bulk bins

Dorset – Down to Earth – bulk wholefoods, detergent refills

Blandford Forum – Cariad Wholefoods – unpackaged wholefoods, herbs, spices, organic vegetables, detergent refills

Bridport – Waste Not Want Not – organic wholefoods, detergent refills

Wiltshire – Green Ginger Health Foods – nuts, seeds, detergent refills

Salisbury – Goodfayre – flours, herbs, spices, nuts, seeds, grains, dried fruit, teas

South East

Ashford – Bare Bazaar – herbs, spices, snacks, nuts, baking supplies, rice, pasta, grains, beans, pulses, legumes, cereals

Brighton – Hisbe (How It Should Be) – loose foods, fruit, vegetables, detergent refills

Canterbury – Unboxed Kent – beans, legumes, pulses, fruit, vegetables, nuts, pasta, rice, grains, oils, vinegars, spices

Eynsham – The Market Garden – loose foods, fruit, vegetables

Gosport – Paula’s Vegan Bakery – fruit, vegetables, bread

Hassocks – Downsview Delicatessen – loose foods, detergent refills

Henley-on-Thames – The Willow Basket – grains, cereals, nuts, muesli, herbs, spices

Hertfordshire – Bamboo Turtle – beans, grains, dried fruit, baking supplies, nuts, seeds, rice, pasta

Hove – Down to Earth – fruit, vegetables, detergent refills

Hythe – U Weigh – loose foods, baking supplies, cereals, flours, dried fruits, dried vegetables, nuts, snacks, seeds, sugar sweets

Lewes – Middle Farm – fruit, vegetables, cider

Margate – The Grain Grocer – baked goods, loose foods

Milton Keynes – My Refill Market – pasta, rice, beans, sugar, flour, spices, dried fruits

Oxford – Oxford Farmer’s Market – loose foods

Oxford – Cardew’s – teas, coffees

Oxford – Demijohn’s – alcoholic drinks, oils, vinegars

Reading – True Food Co-op – loose foods, beans, nuts, dried fruits, rice, grains, detergent refills

St Albans – Refill Pantry which offers things like pasta, rice, lentils, cereals, nuts, chocolates, and snacks.

St Albans – Eat Wholefoods – dried fruit, flours, grains, nuts, seeds, spices, beans, pulses, cereals

Southampton – The Riceup Co-op – loose foods

Wallingford – Just Trading – loose goods, detergent refills

East Anglia

Cambridge – Arjuna Wholefoods – herbs, spices, bread, fruit, vegetables, detergent refills

Norwich – The Green Grocers – loose foods, pulses, nuts, seeds, detergent refills

London

London – Percy Ingle – bread, cakes, pastries

Balham – As Nature Intended – loose foods, fruit, vegetables

Battersea – Hetu

Chiswick – The Source Bulk Foods – loose foods

Chiswick – As Nature Intended – loose foods.

Crystal Palace – The Store Cupboard – loose foods

Ealing – As Nature Intended – loose foods.

Elephant and Castle – FareShares – loose foods, fruit, vegetables

Finsbury Park – Arsenal Food and Wine – unpackaged goods, detergent refills.

Hackney – Get Loose Foods – organic nuts, grains, pulses, milk, eggs, fruits, cheeses

Hackney – Bulk Market – loose foods

Harringay – Kofali Hot Nuts – nuts, dried fruit, sweets

Herne Hill – Naked Larder – dry goods detergent refills

Kensington – Whole Foods – grains, cereals, nuts, teas, coffee, fruit, vegetables

Kentish Town – Earth Natural Stores – grains, herbs, spices, nuts, teas, coffees, detergent refills, fruit, vegetables

Kentish Town – Bumblebee Natural Foods – nuts, seeds.

London Fields – E5 Bakehouse – oats, dried beans, nuts, seeds, sugar

Marble Arch – As Nature Intended – loose foods, coffee, fruit, vegetables

Muswell Hill – Unpackaged – loose foods, chocolate, detergent refills

Richmond – Whole Foods – bulk wholesale

Shoreditch – As Nature Intended – loose foods, rice, snacks, nuts, coffee, fruit, vegetables, detergent refills

Stoke Newington – Mother Earth – loose foods

Stoke Newington – Food For All – loose dried goods

Walthamstow – The Veg Hut – loose foods, detergent refills, fruit, vegetables

Wales

Caerphilly – Plant 2 Plate Catering – loose spices

Conwy – Health and Food – herbs, spices, detergent refills, yoghurt vegetables, cereals, nuts, dried fruit

Llandrindod Wells – La vida verde – vinegars, spices, milk, eggs

North Wales – Ruthin Wholefoods – snacks, fruit, vegetables, detergent refills

Pembrokeshire – Happy Planet Green Store – dried goods, detergent refills

Powys – Natural Weigh – loose foods

Tips for Shopping Packaging Free

Here are 5 ways to go packaging free in your grocery shopping.

Use reusable bags: Take your own bags to the shops where possible – this could be ‘bag for life’ carriers, canvas totes or hessian bags (different fabric types and strengths are suited to different products).
Canvas or jute bags are great for buying loose fruit and veg – you could even use them as you walk around the shop (perfect for trying out scan as you go checkout) and avoid using those little polyethene bags.
Buy loose food: Instead of buying your dry food in plastic packaging, opt for deli-style shops which sell dry food loose by the weight (read on to discover more packaging-free grocery stores).
Choose food in recyclable packaging: If possible, choose food which has recyclable packaging over non-recyclable.
This could be as simple as buying your ketchup in a glass bottle or getting your tea bags in cardboard only boxes (no plastic bags).
Often you will find that you aren’t spending any more money than you normally would and sometimes you’ll even save!
Shop in no-packaging grocery stores: Do the majority of your shopping at no-packaging grocery stores – check out our list below of some of the places you’ll be able to shop to your heart’s content and start saving our seas.
Grow your own food: Some people have started to grow some of their own foods in an allotment or just a little veg patch in their garden – this is the perfect way to reduce packaging and it gets you outdoors, so it’s a win win!

Why Should You Try to Go Zero Waste?

Of course, the main reason for going zero waste where you can is to help reduce your plastic waste and reduce the impact that you are having on the environment. Less packaging on our foods is definitely the way forward, so start thinking about this when you go shopping.

Less packaging also reduces the price of your goods! With additional costs coming in the form of the price you pay in the supermarket, as well as in the form of taxes to fund recycling of goods, why wouldn’t you go for packaging free products and start saving money on your weekly shopping bill today!?

Another reason (which is less important) is the fact that you won’t have to empty the bin so often! But you might have to leave the recycling out more frequently or take a few more trips to your local recycling plant.