#packagingfree

Credit: Waitrose & Partners 

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By Idha Valeur

Waitrose has announced a trial project for one of its Oxford stores to feature a refill zone, frozen fruit and berries pick and mix option, as well as the opportunity to borrow containers – all in a bid to reduce plastic packaging.

The dedicated refill zone will include everyday essentials such as pasta, rice, lentils and cereals. It also offers an option to grind four types of coffee in-store and to re-fill jars. As well as a sustainable alternative for a caffeine fix, customers will be able to choose from four different wines and four different beers on tap to refill previous glass bottles to cut down on buying new ones.

‘This test has huge potential to shape how people might shop with us in the future so it will be fascinating to see which concepts our customers have an appetite for. We know we’re not perfect and have more to do, but we believe this is an innovative way to achieve something different,’ said Waitrose & Partners Head of CSR, Tor Harris.

In the same refill area, there will be an opportunity to mix and match frozen fruit and berries to meet different needs. The package-free berries will be mango, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, cherries and pineapple.

Credit: Waitrose & Partners 

A lot of plastic packaging is involved in containing household’s range of different liquid soaps, whether it is detergent or washing up liquid. In this project, Waitrose has partnered with Ecover to make sure shoppers can refill their reusable containers from the dispensers with detergent in the store.

As well as the refill zone, other measures to reduce packaging include removing packaging from fruit and veg. 160 sorts of fruit and vegetable products will be available to buy loose. When offering refill stations, customers will have to bring in their own boxes to put produce in. To make this even easier, Waitrose will offer a borrow-a-box scheme where customers can borrow boxes in the shop and bring them back when they next go grocery shopping.

The main goal of the test is to figure out how customers may be inclined to shop in the future. The normally packaged equivalents of the products in the refill zone will be located in their normal spots to keep the test effective.

When given the alternatives, which will the customers go for?

We all know one of the best ways to unwind after a long day is a long, hot shower. Picking what soaps, scrubs, and moisturizers to scrub off the stresses of the day is a serious business; LUSH makes it fun and colorful! From jiggling jellies that cleanse, to self-preserving shower creams, to solid exfoliating bars, LUSH’s shower and body care has flipped the script on your run-of-the-mill shower gel!

Shower jellies are as hilarious to use as they are innovative in their design. Originally launched in 2005, shower jellies are just what they sound like: wobbly blobs of jelly-like soap that form an impossibly creamy lather when foamed up. The jiggle of this soap is derived from a polysaccharide known as carrageenan, which comes from seaweed. There are two ways to use the jellies in the shower: 1) wet the jelly and lather it up, like you would with a normal bar of soap, 2) pinch off a small piece of the jelly and lather it up using a loofah or washcloth. LUSH recommends the first approach officially on its website, but personal experience has proved the jelly to be extremely slippery when used in this manner. I prefer breaking off a few small pieces and agitating it in a loofah; it results in a luxuriously thick foam that leaves skin hydrated and soft to the touch. One of the longest-running scents in the Jelly Line at LUSH is an excellent way to introduce yourself to the joys of jiggly shower soap: Whoosh is a zesty citrus scent formulated to wake you up, all wrapped up in a delightfully fluorescent shade of blue. While the lemon, lime, grapefruit, and rosemary are refreshing enough on their own, a great tip for the summer months is to store your jelly in the freezer when you’re not using it!

Moisturizing your skin is important, but LUSH believes that it should not be limited to post-shower ritual. Enter Body Conditioner, a lotion you can use in the shower to seal in hydration. Body Conditioner is self-preserving, meaning it is low on the naturally-derived chemical additives scene in other LUSH products. Not only do they leave your skin feeling soft, Body Conditioners at LUSH smell fantastic and leave your body fragrantly scented. Ro’s Argan is a classic, bestselling Body Conditioner; invented by LUSH co-founder Rowena Bird, its name is a double entendre as it is full of Argan oil and scented with a floral vanilla rose. There are no less than 6 moisturizing agents in this formula: cocoa butter, shea butter, cupuacu butter, brazil nut oil, almond oil and, of course, almond oil. After washing and rinsing your body, dip into the recycled plastic pot of Ro’s Argan and smooth it all over your skin. Rinse clean and prepared to be amazed at how incredibly hydrated you are; you definitely don’t need to moisturize after the shower when using a Body Conditioner.

Today I am moving out of realm of the kitchen and taking you into our bathroom. While I still feel that our plastic waste is way beyond what it should be I am also proud of the small steps we have taken to reduce our single plastic use while supporting independent UK businesses. I feel that as long as a swap doesn't break the bank, does the same/better job as your previous off the shelf product and doesn't inconvenience you ridiculously - there is no excuse.

So here's a little breakdown of the swaps I've made and am so happy with.

DEODORANT – We swapped from the usual Doves and Sures out there to a Salt of The Earth stone years ago and were super happy with it. I loved the fact that I wasn't clogging up my arm pits with chemicals and artificial scents. Did you know that Aluminium-based complexes in regular deodorants react with the electrolytes in the sweat to form a gel plug in the duct of the sweat gland? Yup. Grim. BUT unfortunately this lovely product comes in a plastic holder. So after some research I ordered Carr Greens sample set of cream deodorants and was converted. Our favourite scent is Lemon and Geranium and it works soooo well. We've signed up to their subscription and get a new tin every 3 months. This costs £10 and lasts two adults (one of which has a very active job) perfectly.

SHAMPOO BAR – this is a difficult one and I have tried quite a few in the past with little success. While I didn't find the process of using the bar as complex as I thought I would the earlier products I purchased left my hair with a thin layer of grease on them. But I persevered and finally came across Wild Sage + Co. Their Rosemary + Lavender shampoo bar is to die for. It leaves my hair nourished, soft and clean. I even had people comment on my hair looking healthier post bubba! And for £6 a bar (or £5.40 if you buy a multi pack) it’s not extortionate. Love love love. BODY + FACE – I've got a little thing for Wild Sage + Co and am a real sucker for the way they present their brand, the way they create their products and their ethos in general. I have combination skin and since having a child my skin has behaved in all sorts of weird ways. Wild Sage's Charcoal Detox soap is amazing. It leaves my face nice and clean as well as moisturised at the same time. I've also recently purchased their Pink Himalayan Soap which we use as a body wash and is exfoliating and invigorating all at the same time.

SHAVE – I've been talking about this for ages but for some reason never took the plunge... until Mat finally got me a safety razor for Christmas. Aaaaand I am a convert. It honestly is so easy to use. Your initial investment may be a little higher but the blades going forward are super affordable. My one is by Edwin Jagger and is so well made.

PERIOD – I am still in the testing stage of this but a few of my friends recommended I try a mooncup. I am so aware of the amount of waste period products produce and am determined to find a routine that works for me. So far I am liking it but haven't dared venture out on longer trips yet. So the only products I still haven't managed to swap/find are: Toothpaste/Toothbrush – I have tricky gums and have to be careful what products I use. An electric toothbrush is an absolute MUST and so is a good toothpaste. I just worry that the natural tabs out there won't cut it.

Facecream – This feels like a never ending journey. I have tried quite a few eco friendly products but still haven't found one that suits my temperamental skin.

Body Lotion – as with the facecream I still haven't found a good body lotion. I tried using coconut oil after showers and although it absorbs into my skin ok I still feel it't too greasy :-(

So here you have it - a little list of our swaps + challenges. What sustainable beauty products do you love to use?