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Online shops for General and personal products
One of the real joys of buying #plasticfree is sourcing the stuff in local shops. The excitement when you see milk in glass bottle in the newsagents is beyond words. But sometime you have to buy on line. And then you come up against the prickly problem of packaging. There is nothing that enrages plastic activist in me more than researching a product that claims to be plastic free and environmentally friendly, purchase online, wait eagerly only to find it comes plastic packed.
Plastic free and plastic reduced products are of course a great step forward in the battle against plastic. But when I am buying a product I want to know how the product is packaged. There is little point buying a wooden comb if it comes in a plastic bag. If it comes via an online, postal service, onward packaging needs to be stated. I want to know how the product will be packed and the more information the better. Down to what kind of tape is used (whether it is plastic or not) and whether the invoice will be in a plastic bag on the front of the box.
Which is why I like he following companies who offer plastic free products but also consider the onward packaging.
N.B. But no matter what I say, check and double check for yourself. One mans plastic free is another’s little bit of sticky tape.
Sin Plastico
We are a plastic free and zero waste store. That means, we ask our makers and distributers to send us everything in bulk or with the less packaging as possible.
We do use Kraft and corrugate cardboard to wrap and fill the boxes. And even our tape is made of paper and vegetal glue.They are based in Spain but ship to the UK. They have a great range. Check it out HERE
Based in the UK Is Boobalu with a great range of stuff
You will receive your order either in reused, recyclable or biodegradable packaging. Green mail bags are biodegradable and pink mail bags are recyclable. You can also choose plastic free packaging at the checkout page.
Less Plasticalways either reuse cardboard boxes that have come to us or our friends and neighbours, or use brown paper wrapping with brown paper tape. We pad our parcels with recycled/reused paper or newspaper. Also have you seen our infographic trying to inspire other online businesses to do the same? Visit the WEBSITE
And Keep
Please have a look at www.andkeep.com. Eco-friendly, sustainable and reusable products. Postal packaging is always recycled. I’m a public speaker on plastic Pollution too and passionate about helping people to make more mindful purchasing decisions while helping them on a plastic-Free or zero waste journey. All packaging is paper or cardboard.
Read more HERE
Ingreens
A great selection of stuff can be found HERE
We have asked all of our suppliers to refrain from using plastic when packing our items. In the factory world, poly bags, bubble wrap and stylofoam are commonplace. Understandably the items need to remain intact, yet not at the cost of the environment. So far, all suppliers have accommodated our no plastic.Your parcels:For months in the lead up to the launch we have been saving packaging and also asked neighbours and friends to donate theirs. We haven’t invested in any packaging yet, when we do, we can assure you it will be from a sustainable source. At the moment, your orders are packaged in a circular economic way, that you can continue.
We make the ‘padding’ from shredding junk mail and books are falling apart.
Paper Parcel tape:We don’t use sellotape we use paper based tape that can be recycled or can biodegrade.The aim of Anything But Plastic is to bring together as many as possible of the individual brands and companies that produce plastic free alternative products and provide a platform of convenience for the average consumer to purchase these goods. Cutting down on plastic should not have to be hard, inconvenient or time consuming. With this site I hope to get rid of these obstacles, which will hopefully bring about some positive change and make going plastic-free an easy choice.
Website:
www.anythingbutplastic.co.uk
More Here
For reviews of some products featured above and other categories for #plasticfree online shopping including food… yes #plasticfree food on line. And I don’t just mean vege boxes!
Some Reviews Here
Anything But Plastic Online Shop
Anything But Plastic sells alternatives to plastic products in order to reduce everyday plastic consumption and help tackle plastic pollution …
Read More
Cleaning Liquid Refills
ECOVER do all of these products and you can get your plastic bottle refilled. To find where Ecover have a refill …
Read More
Fabric Offset Warehouse
Offset Warehouse is a social enterprise which brings together a huge range of hand-picked eco fabrics and haberdashery, ideal for …
Read More
Greencane Tissues/ Paper Productsd
A while ago a company called Greencane sent me some tissues through the post. Not just tissues but toilet paper and kitchen …
Read More
Hodmedods – British Grown Beans, Grains & Pulses
Did you now you can get homegrown British beans, lentils (soon) and even Quinoa. Many of them organically grown…. Introducing …
Read More
Loose Food On Line
One of the joys of living plastic free is mooching round the local shops seeing what you can source. And …
Read More
Online shops for General and personal products
One of the real joys of buying #plasticfree is sourcing the stuff in local shops. The excitement when you see …
Read More
Soap hard/bar
I use soap to wash my body (I don’t like using soap on my face so I cleanse with oil and …
Read MoreLive Free Here
Our enormous index of #plasticfree products and lifestyle hacks has been updated. Have a look
N.B.
lines changes, products get removed. For more information why not ask the Plastic Is Rubbish FB group for updates. They are a great source of tidbits, personal experience and the latest news. Why not join them and share the plastic free love x
And before you go…
If you have found the #plasticfree information useful, please consider supporting us. It all goes to financing the project (read more here) or
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Let’s Do A Give Away
We love promoting plasticfree products and a great way to that is to give somethings away for free. Who doesn’t love a freebie?
So if you have a product you want to promote and Wish to work with us, this is how we organise a giveaway. However we are always open to suggestions.
In the following, the organisation giving the gift is referred to as the donor .
Briefly the donor offers a product to give away, we organise a draw and promote it and the product on our blog. The donor should do the same. The winner is chosen at random. Their details are passed on the donor who send the prize on.
The Giveaway Draw
Is done via Rafflecoptor ( who organise on line draws).
Terms and conditions are agreed with the donor. i.e. Only residents of the U.K. can enter.
The link is designed.
The resulting code is then pasted into blog post and looks something like this.
Rafflecoptor giveaway portal as seen on the blog post. And tha bags are not green but white!
To enter, participants then click on the link and are directed to a range of options.
For our giveaways they have to
tweet a tweet containing your Twitter handle
visit your FB page
comment on the Give Away Page (more on give away pages below).Each action counts as an entry to the draw.
Participants can do all three thereby increasing their chances of winning,Entries go into rafflecoptors virtual hat.The winner is chosen at random.
The prize is sent directly to them by the company doing the giving.Advertising the Giveaway
Both parties should promote the giveaway as widely as they can.
Blog
I promote the giveaway on my blog in a variety of ways
The What’s On Page
Every month I do a round up of latest news, plastic free finds and other topical stuff.In The Previous Month
I advertise the giveaway the month before in the Whats On page. First in the news as a shoutout and then in more detail in later on.
You can see an example from the current giveaway hereIn Giveaway Month
When the giveaway goes live, it is featured in the current months Whats On page but this time with the link to the Rafflecoptor giveaway like the one shown above.See an example from the current giveaway here
The Giveaway Page
It is also promoted on the separate give away page. The giveaway page focuses on your product only, has more detail and again links to the Rafflecoptor draw. This is the page entrants will be directed via tweets and FB links.
See an example from the current giveaway here
Side Bar On All Posts
Give away is featured in the blog sidebar.
The giveaway page is also linked via a widget on the blog side bar which appears alongside of every post. The widget has a picture and brief description of your product and a countdown.Social Media
Plastic Is Rubbish a rapidly growing group where folks can share, rant and post about living plastic free. Join us here.
Planet Trash A Facebook of plastic pollution.
Facebook page Plastic Free U.K. a visual library of U.K. plastic free finds we come across
PlasticSrubbish Twitter account
Plastic Is Rubbish Instagram
And have a Pinterest pageWant to do one? Contact us now.
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Borax
Borax occurs naturally in evaporite deposits produced by the repeated evaporation of seasonal lakes. The most commercially important deposits are found in Turkey; Boron, California; and Searles Lake, California. Also, borax has been found at many other locations in the Southwestern United States, the Atacama desert in Chile, newly discovered deposits in Bolivia, and in Tibet and Romania. Borax can also be produced synthetically from other boron compounds.
WIkkipediaProper borax is No longer sold on the shelves in the UK. You have to make do with a borax substitute from Dripak.
“Borax Substitute is sodium sesquicarbonate – a mineral compound, with similar pH to borax, making it ideal for cleaning and laundry. It is gentler than Soda Crystals yet stronger than Bicarbonate of Soda.
Using Borax Substitute around the house
Uses Borax Substitute as a:Multi-purpose cleaner – Mix it with some water to form a paste. This makes it an excellent scouring agent that offers more cleaning power than Bicarbonate of Soda.
A water softener to help keep your washing machine clear of limescale.
To make your own bath salts, simply add some perfume or essential oils and a drop of food colouring to some Borax Substitute.”That said you can still buy borax from Ebay
Uses
You can use real borax for the above and
Can be used to make a fire retardant spray
To deter mothsMore
Borax, washing soda, bicarbonate or all three. What should you use for your cleaning needs? A comparison HERE
See all out #plasticfree cleaning aids HERE -
Duvet
There are lots of synthetic duvets on the market full of polyester and the like but even before I went plastic free I always preferred the cotton/feather covering. However I have become aware of other options.
Natural fillings include
Feathers
Silk
Wool
CottonThere are all sorts of things you need to know when buying a duvet. What filling, pockets or channels, and what tog. all useful stuff and there are many good guides online which it is pointless to reproduce. I can recommend this one as covering all bases.
Duvets
Cotton Duvet John Lewis
BuyJohn Lewis Natural Light Cotton Comfort Duvet, 4.5 Tog, Single Online at johnlewis.com
£35.00 – £65.00
Country of Origin China
Cover material 100% Cotton; 190 thread count
Filling 100% Washed CottonABOUT BAAVET
We are manufacturers of wool duvets, pillows, mattress toppers and natural fibre mattresses. Made in the UK with 100% British wool.Medium Baavet Wool Duvet Double £111.00 Online or Local stockists HERE
Everyone mentioned on this page really exists
On British farms we don’t “factory farm” sheep, they are farmed extensively. “Extensive farming” could be described as ‘free range’ farming. The sheep have the freedom to roam the fields and hills of the UK, grazing naturally.
The busiest times on the farm are lambing in the spring and shearing in the summer. Sheep farming is practiced in the same traditional way as it has been for hundreds of years.
Your Baavet originates on the hills and in the valleys of British farms and the wool for our completely natural wool Baavets comes from British Sheep farmed on British farms by farmers we know.So our story starts here down on farms like those of :
Will Williams, and Griff Williams who farm on the grass rich fields Lleyn Peninsular up here in North Wales where the weather is mild due to the influence of the sea.
After lambing the next big event in the year is shearing which normally takes place in early summer.The shearer carefully shears the sheep with electric clippers in one continuous process which results in a big fluffy fleece. This is carefully rolled up, tied into a bundle and put into a very large wool sack which can hold around 60/80 fleeces. These sacks are then loaded up and taken to a central loading place
It’s taken to our wool merchant’s warehouse in Halifax where the wool is graded.
Once the wool has been graded it travels to Dewsbury, to one of only two scourers left in the country, to be washed. Scouring is the term used for washing the wool
The washed wool now goes to a mill in Huddersfield where it is carded and quilted.
The carded wool is enclosed in the cotton fabric so it won’t ever move around. It’s a continuous process and the quilted material is being put onto a roll which is cut about every 30 metres , which is as big as we can handle. The rolls are covered in plastic and stored ready for their journey back to Wales where it all started.Back in Wales under the ancient walls of Harlech Castle, discreetly hidden away in a small industrial estate, is Baavet HQ. Here the quilted rolls are made into the individual Baavet products. Your Baavets are then ready for packing and dispatch, from Ewe to You.
Devon Duvets, was born. The concept of handcrafting British wool duvets and wool pillows in England was largely unthought of at that time and we are delighted that there is now a re-discovery of British wool that helps to support British farms. Devon Duvets is the only company that Handcrafts products in their own workshops in England using only British wool, providing an unequalled quality and provenance that others cannot replicate.
WOOL DUVET DOUBLE SUMMER (LIGHTWEIGHT 300GSM) (200CM X 200CM UK SIZE)
Price: £125.00Woolroom
British wool but I don’t know where they are actually made. will check!
CLASSIC WOOL DUVET – LIGHT
( was £49.99 )
£34.99
Our Classic Light Duvets are made with 100% British wool & medium thread count cotton. Suited to hot sleepers or night sweat sufferers.
SINGLE (137X200 CM)£34.99
DOUBLE (200X200 CM)£47.59
Our Light Classic duvet contains 250 gsm (3-6 tog) of 100% British wool filling and covered in a 200 thread count cotton outer to enhance breathability and aid thermoregulation.From the
Feather/Down
The only choice I will talk about is cruelty free. Please do check that you feathers have been humanely harvested. There is a lot of abuse out there in the feather farms.
Down
Harvesting from goose down from live birds is an old practise. The harvesting of feathers and down from the breast of live geese is possible because between 9-10 weeks of age their mature down feathers, together with the other soft feathers, moult naturally. By timing the plucking process to coincide with the natural moult, the breast feathers and down can be harvested. Growing geese can then be plucked approximately every six weeks as this will coincide with each successive moult. The yield of feathers and down from the first plucking is approximately 80 g and for each subsequent plucking between 100-120gThe best feathers are those that have been harvested at times of moult. However in large scale factory units the feathers may torn out before the birds are ready. The kindest feathers are considered to be those those obtained post slaughter though the feather quality is not s good.
You might want to read this before you decide. Having read that you might not want a feather duvet at all That is the worst case as put by a vegan but it needs to be considered.
A good feather duvet and it will last you life time cutting down on consumption and petroleum / plastic related pollution, it is completely natural and can be composted when it finally does what ever old feather duvets do when they die. We are still using the duvet that we got given to us over 10 years ago and will be
Buy Ethical Feathers
So you want a supplier who can be trusted to source cruelty free feathers and provide quality goods. It’s off to John Lewis with their animal cruelty policy http://www.johnlewis.com/inspiration-and-advice/john-lewis-policy-on-feather-and-down-products
As ever, the kinder the farmer the higher the cost but imagine that cost spread over years.
If you cant afford JL you can buy second hand from for example Ebay. Down doesnt loose much over time so you will still be getting a good cover for half the price and you can let the original purchaser deal with the guilt.Ikea
Ikea do lightweight feather double duvets for 25.00
Washing
you can wash feather duvets. The thinner the duvet the easier it is. http://www.heirloomlinens.com/duvetcleaning.htlm
Two thin douvets might be better then 1 thick one especially if you live in a seasonal climate.
My Fair Share
In 1994 the international trade reached more than 67 000 tons of raw feathers and down.
N.B.
lines changes, products get removed. For more information why not ask the Plastic Is Rubbish FB group for updates. They are a great source of tidbits, personal experience and the latest news. Why not join them and share the plastic free love x
And before you go…
If you have found the #plasticfree information useful, please consider supporting us. It all goes to financing the project (read more here) or
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Coffee Fresh
When I first started my boycott, the only way to get plasticfree coffee was to buy the beans loose and grind them. Now theres all kinds of options from instant in your own bag to compostable pods
For other coffee posts check out our index. You will also find tea, cocoa, milk in glass bottles and something stronger.
Buy Beans Loose
I love my morning coffee,
Can’t do with out my brew,
But Lavazzas wrapped in plastic!
So whats a girl to do?Done got myself a bean grinder and I buy my coffee beans loose in my own plastic-free packaging
I am extremely lucky in that I can buy (fair trade), coffee beans from the superlative Coffeevolution, Huddersfield, an independent coffee shop, run by the owner. They import their own fair trade beans and roast them themselves. I give them my own bag they give me fresh, loose beans. Happy days.
There are many other good reasons to go to the café. It is not a chain the ambiance is great, and they have home made biscuits stored in glass jars. There are murals on the walls. and they have a great notice board. Smashing.Elsewhere
If you cant get to Huddersfield there’s a list of
Supermarkets & Chains
Whittards
Whittards are. U.K. wide chain that will sell you tea loose.this from twitter
“Hi there, yes if you visit our store with your own container, we can fill it with either tea or coffee.”
They have over 50 shops. You can find one one here.
NB you will have to take your own plastic free or , better still, reusable packaging. See below for links.“The company was founded in 1886 by Walter Whittard. It expanded in the 1980s and 1990s, and was bought by the Icelandic Baugur Group in 2005 for around £21 million.”
Ground Coffee In Compostable Packaging
Percol do ground coffee in home compostable plastic free packaging. I bought some in Waitrose. The coffee was acceptable. I composted the packaging in my home bin. Read more about this, below.From their website
“You’ll start to notice the Plastic-Free logo on our new home compostable Ground, Beans and Coffee Bag packaging from November 2018. Like many, we want to do more to reduce the amount of packaging (particularly plastic) we’re using, and as a UK retail brand which sells more than 4 million products a year, we have an important role to play in reducing the impact we are making on our planet”
Read more here
Online
Just got a doorstep of delivery of ground coffee in a reusable/returnable tin. Not one bit of plastic. from the @ModernMilkman_
Roasting House
We’re a micro coffee roastery based in Nottingham. We roast all of our coffee in very small batches to order. Our environmental and ethical values guide us in how we run our business. We have a zero waste to landfill policy informs our purchasing decisions and use only 100% recycled and recyclable paper packaging and labels for our coffee. At events when serving hot coffee, we use both ceramic reusable cups and fully compostable takeaway cups.
Website: roastinghouse.co.ukOnward Packaging
Would also like to add that when I contacted on twitter they confirmed that you can order online and they send out in a cardboard envelope.
MORE COFFEE!!!!
For other coffee posts check out our index. You will also find tea, cocoa, milk in glass bottles and something stronger.
There’s the old school stuff – paper, cardboard, leaves and other plant based materials. And then there is the new. The biodegradable plastics.
What is biodegradable?
Biodegradable products break down through a naturally occurring microorganism into stable compounds which can be absorbed into the ecosystem.More about biodegrading here
What is compostable?
To be classed compostable, items must biodegrade within a certain time and the resulting biomass must be able to sustain plant life For a man-made product to be sold as compostable, it has to meet certain standards. You can find out more here.
Composting Plastic At Home
While most agree that some plastics are compostable, they also say it can only composted in large scale municipal schemes. I say the days of large scale municipal schemes is fast approaching as governments aim to divert biodegradable rubbish from landfill sites. But more to the point, I have been composting my compostable plastic at home for years now, including Biobags, deli pots and disposable cutlery. Read more about that HERE.
The Home Compostable verification logo clearly identifies and differentiates packaging materials as biodegradable and home compostable. This means that the biodegradable packaging will break down under specific home composting conditions back into water, carbon dioxide (CO2) and biomass.”
N.B.
lines changes, products get removed. For more information why not ask the Plastic Is Rubbish FB group for updates. They are a great source of tidbits, personal experience and the latest news. Why not join them and share the plastic free love x
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Special days, gifts & parties
Here’s a guide to celebrating, partying and gift giving.
If you want biodegradable, disposable cutlery try How To Party Plastic Free. Reusable advent calendar? Check out Christmas. Compostable condoms – yes they are in Valentines along with other loved up stuff.
And of course at the end of every party, the washing up. Sigh.
Have fun and drink responsibly….
The Plastic Free Year
February and Valentines Day
Easter
Remberence Day
No posts found. -
Toys
There are some lovely plasticfree toys featured on our toy Pinterest page.
Myriadonline
for toys and craft supplies. Use cardboard and paper packaging including paper parcel tape.
A really lovely shop full of wooden toys and wool felt balls. Recommend you have a look HERE
Talking of games….
Any teachers out there want to trial a plastic awareness game?
The Auroville community in India are tackling plastic waste through education. Sometime ago I spoke to them about a children’s game they were developing – here is an update….
“Last year, interviewing experts was part of our research phase for developing a memory style card game which we have decided to call ‘kNOw PLASTICS’. The game educates children about the impact of plastics on animals, the environment and us.
We are now in the pilot testing phase of the game. Up till now we have tested the game in schools here in and around Auroville, Tamil Nadu, South India. It is a really rewarding experience and so much fun to see the children playing with the cards. So far we have received positive responses but we would like to get feedback from as many other children throughout schools the world over. We are looking to test the game internationally with students from diverse cultural background so that the game is relevant to as wide an audience as possible.
If you know of any schools, organisations or teachers then we would be very happy if you could connect us or test the kNOw PLASTICS game, please find below what this would entail:
- Printing the game in colour (we’ll send you the designs and clear instructions).
- Find 4 resource persons or teachers to help you or test the game (3-5 student per group).
- Playing the game with children and answer questions (takes about an hour and it lots of fun).
- Sending us the feedback and if you can Skype/WhatsApp call at your convenience.
Our goal is to complete pilot testing the game by the end of November, so our design team can finalise the game, print and launch it in February 2017.
When we have produced the game we would like to provide a free copy for a school or organisation you work with as a thank you for your assistance in pilot testing the game.
Please do help us test this game!
I really appreciate your time and effort and promise it won’t be a waste of time!
If you can help you can contact Chandra on wasteless@auroville.org.in
www.wastelessindia.org
Facebook.com/WasteLess
Why This Post Is ….
A little bit rubbish. You are reading a work in progress. Here’s how the blog is written and why we post half cocked.
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Remembrance Poppy
One of the most poignant events of the year happens in November. Every year on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month all of Britain observes a full silence for two minutes. Because 11 November is Armistice Day and the anniversary of the end of the first world war. Remembrance Sunday is always held on the weekend so that everyone can participate. On this day we take time to remember all those who have fallen on the many wars.
Through November the most visible sign of remembrance is the wearing of a red poppy badge.
November is also When the Royal British Legion, a U.K. Charity organise a massive fundraising campaign. Whatever your opinions on the politics of war, whatever you feel about the senseless loss, many soldiers have died leaving families behind. Many soldiers have survived but so badly hurt that they now need help. The Royal British Legion supports the Armed Forces community both past and present. It provides support for the serving men and women, veterans and for their families.
Every year (2017 starting on 26 October), they ask for contributions in return for which you receive a poppy to pin on your lapel.Sadly the poppies made from paper and plastic are disposable. Many people buy a new poppy each year. Some careless ones like me get through two or three a year. Hundreds and hundreds of little green plastic stalks and black centres are left over once the paper petals have have rotted away.
So this year why not do it differently. The Royal British Legion have many new and interesting ways to contribute. And of course if you want to show your support by wearing a poppy you can buy a reusable poppy. You still make a donation each year but wear your own reusable poppy.
You can buy reusable poppy pins from the Royal British Legion,(visit the Website), Or these from Marks & Spencer’s. If you don’t like any on display, or find the offerings to be too plastic packaged, try making your own. Loads of ideas HERE.
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A Plastic Planet
I am extremely proud to be an ambassador for a Plastic Planets campaign for the plasticfree aisle in all supermarkets. This would of course make plastic three shopping so much easier. It is an extremely valuable contribution to the debate. It would be great if you could pop over to the pop over there check out the campaign and give them your support. At a Plastic Planet.
I am currently hunting down some plasticfree Ferrero Roche’s to celebrate. Tricky. These have to be the most plasticky chocs ever. For now you will have to do with these plastic free, chocolate truffles. Find them here.
Extremely yummylicious. You spoil us ambassador!Campaigns
But first…. Let me take a selfie… Organised by www.aplasticplanet.com.
A Plastic Planet campaign are collecting thousands of films of ordinary people demanding a Plastic Free Aisle in supermarkets. Why? They want to meet with the CEO of a top supermarket and need to prove consumer demand.
Sounds like a good idea? Wouldn’t it be great to buy plastic free food using your own cotton produce bags? Then here’s what you do….
Video yourself on your phone saying: “My name is [First Name]. I am a Plastic Addict but I am ready for change. I want a Plastic Free Aisle.”
Send the recording to: addict@aplasticplanet.comCut and paste the below message and put it on your Facebook timeline along with your video nominating three friends who you think care about our planet and our health to do the same.
“Hi everyone.I’m backing A Plastic Planet’s campaign to get a #PlasticFreeAisle in supermarkets. Plastic is killing our planet and will affect our health but at the moment there is nothing I can do on my own to stop plastic use. Supermarkets respond to consumer demand. As a consumer I am asking for a plastic free aisle where I can shop guilt and worry-free.
A Plastic Planet are collecting thousands of films of ordinary people demanding change, which they are bringing to the CEOs of the biggest supermarkets to demand a Plastic Free Aisle.
I nominate X, X and X:
My name is [First Name]. I am a Plastic Addict but I am ready for change. I want a Plastic Free Aisle.”
Post your film to: addict@aplasticplanet.com
Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram to keep up with our campaign!Plastic-Free, Worldwide Day
June 5 the world’s first One Plastic Free Day
Organised A Plastic Planet, They want people from people from around the world to avoid plastic-packaged food and drink products for 24 hours.
Yay
Want join in? Of course you do.Take a photo of the plastic-packaged products they are giving up for One Plastic Free Day and share it on social media, saying why you have been inspired to #PassOnPlastic.
I will be tweeting or posting a tip every 24 hours! Join me at plasticSrubbish on Twitter and the Plastic Is Rubbish FB group
More
There are some places in the U.k. That already do this. You can find them here.
Loose Food A to Z
Find out if a shop near you sells bulk food loose. This is stuff that that normally comes plastic packaged ie rice, pasta and salt. And yes these shops do exist in the U.K. There’s just not many of them.
Heres a list of towns with shops selling loose
Find other plasticfree campaigns and campaigners, HERE.
N.B.
lines changes, products get removed. For more information why not ask the Plastic Is Rubbish FB group for updates. They are a great source of tidbits, personal experience and the latest news. Why not join them and share the plastic free love x
And before you go…
If you have found the #plasticfree information useful, please consider supporting us. It all goes to financing the project (read more here) or
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Supermarkets & Chainstores Index
And let me say right now I don’t like supermarkets. They are killing off the local shops and take money out of the community. But for many people they are the only option. So how to make your experience as ethical as possible?
But before you enter those hellish portals please do consider shopping at your local shops. Reasons why here.
Here are some suggestions to make your choice of chainstore shopping more ethical.
I prefer to shop in British owned chainstores if possible. These are my favourites
The Co-op in the UK
Waitrose is owned by staff in the John Lewis Partnership
Will Use Tesco plc, trading as Tesco, is a British multinational groceriesBut sometimes of course I have to go where the plastic free products can be found. Like salt in a cardboard box at Lidles. Its always a tradeoff.
Plastic Free News
Waitrose
Waitrose are cutting the use of plastic lined disposable cups in their cafes!
“We’re removing all disposable takeaway cups from our shops by the autumn.You can still enjoy a free cup of tea or coffee when you shop with us; remember to bring your own reusable cup and your myWaitrose card with you.#KeepYourCup 💚
This will save more than 52 million cups, 221 tonnes of plastic and more than 665 tonnes of paper a year.
Find out more: https://bit.ly/2Jwh0d2The Co-op
Talking of hot drinks the The Co-op are meat to be introducing their own plastic free teabags . Though I have yet to find them!
For those of you who didn’t know, most teabags contain plastic. not just the packaging but actually in the bag.Morrisons
Starting in May, Morrisons will be inviting customers to use their own containers when purchasing produce from the meat and fish counters in stores, in order to cut down on single-use plastic. Read more here.Plastic Free Finds
Sometimes supermarkets can surprise you – check out the plastic-free and reduced packaging products here.
Cooperative Supermarket
Plastic free teabags For those of you who didn’t know, most teabags contain plastic. not just the packaging but actually …
Read More
Lush plastic free products
lush are one of the more forward thinking British companies. They are ethical in all kinds of ways and sell …
Read MoreThe Range – a chain of home & garden shops
Loose pet food, home wares and some loose sweets. Being committed to local shopping, I prefer to buy that way …
Read More
U.K. Owned Chainstores
And let me say right now I’m not overly keen on chainstores. They are killing off the local shops and …
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Whole Food Market U.K. Chain
Rushing through the Cheltenham suburbs, had to buy wine so lurched into the huge carpark of an out of town …
Read MoreMy Favourite Chains Are…
The Co-op in the UK is owned by it’s members. That’s you. So do use that whenever possible. Sadly they are bad for packaging. Write and tell them.
Waitrose is owned by staff in the John Lewis Partnership and do some excellent plastic free buns and bread.
Will Use
Tesco plc, trading as Tesco, is a British multinational groceries and general merchandise retailer with headquarters in Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, England, United Kingdom.[3] It is the third-largest retailer in the world measured by profits[4][5] and ninth-largest retailer in the world measured by revenues. It has shops in seven countries across Asia and Europe and is the market leader of groceries in the UK (where it has a market share of around 28.4%),
WikipediaNot so keen on
ASDA
Asda Stores is a British supermarket retailer, “headquartered in Leeds, West Yorkshire.[5] The company was founded in 1949 when the supermarket owning Asquith family merged with the Associated Dairies company of Yorkshire. It expanded into the south of England during the 1970s and 1980s, and acquired Allied Carpets, 61 large Gateway Supermarkets and other businesses, such as MFI, then sold off its acquisitions during the 1990s to concentrate on the supermarkets. It became a subsidiary of the American retail giant Walmart after a £6.7 billion takeover in July 1999” wikkipedia
While Sainsburys is a British company
“As of February 2018, the largest overall shareholder is the sovereign wealth fund of Qatar, the Qatar Investment Authority, which holds 21.99% of the company.[6] It is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index.
In April 2018, Sainsbury’s entered talks with Walmart about a proposed merger with Asda, which could form the largest UK supermarket company.[7]”
“The Qatar Investment Authority is Qatar’s state-owned holding company that can be characterized as a National Wealth Fund. It specializes in domestic and foreign investment. Wikipedia” and Walmart? No thanks. So while I might be able to get paper wrapped butter at Sainsbury’s (check out the cheese counter), Im not sure I like their politics.Morrison plc are listed on the London stock exchange. Whilst the majority of investors are British or British companies or pension funds, these investments can be held by anyone around the world.
Plasticfree Finds
But sometimes of course i have to go where the plastic free products can be found. Like salt in a cardboard box at Lidles. Its always a tradeoff. See all our supermarket posts here
The biggest supermarket chains in the UK, by market share are:
Tesco (27.8%)
Sainsbury’s (15.8%)
Asda (15.3%) American
Morrisons (10.4%)
Aldi (7%) german owned
Co-op (6.3%) owned by its U.K. members
Lidl (5.2%) german owned
Waitrose (5.1%)
Iceland (2.1%)
Ocado (1.4%)
from the bbcIf you want to buy from a British chain company, I have listed some HERE
Widely Available At Most Supermarkets
Bread Mixes – Paper
Laundry Powder – Cardboard, no scoop
Fruit and Vegetables – Bulk, take your own bags
Instore Butcher, Deli, Fish Counters and Bakery- Bulk, take bags and containers
Flour, Sugar, Eggs and Oats – Almost always available in paper or card
Frozen Produce in Cardboard – Linda McCartney, Fish (MSC), Potato Waffles Shake box to check there’s no plastic insideThe Rest
Hooray for Louise Bayfield and her “POSTIVE PRODUCTS LIST (UK) a list of High Street and Supermar-ket products that have no packaging or in some way help reduce packaging.”
The List
The original PDF will be updated as Louise shops around so do check back there for updates.Remember not all stores stock all products. It might be wise to check ahead if you are making a special visit.
There may well be other products that have not been listed.
Feel free to add your finds in the comments box belew.Once again thank you Louise for such a fantastic resource!
Homesence
Castile Soap, Larger bottles – Packaging varies but mostly plastic
Shampoo/conditioner/shower gel/ Bath – Very large bottles, sometimes organic and glass packaging
Soap Bars, sometimes organic- Beautifully wrapped in paper/card – Good gifts
Candles – Often votives in glass or metal tins with no packaging or cardboard box
Glassware – Recycled water glasses and sometimes goblets, No packaging other than a small sticker to base.
Many home items are unpackaged other than a price sticker. Some items are surplus. A good place to look for
Zero Waste Kitchenalia – Glass Jars, Stainless Steel Water Bottles, Insulated Travel Mugs, Tea strainers/Infusers,
Reusable Silicone Bakeware, Wooden Brushes, Scrubbers, Coffee presses, Wooden Boards, Wooden Bowls etc…
Some will be in cardboard or unpackaged with sticker.Ikea
Crisp breads – Paper
Kilner style Jars – Good value – Paper and sticker
Loose sweets pick & mix stall with paper bagsOcado
Cake Mix, Wright’s – Paper
You cleaner refills – A concentrated eco cleaner in small plastic bottlesPoundland
Selection of glass kilner style jars – great for those on a budget
StringRobert Dyas
Borax Substitute, Dri-pac – Cardboard
Staples
Toilet Tissue, Maxima – 100% recycled – Large cardboard box, no inner tubes
Toilet Rolls, 8 pack – 100% recycled – Plastic wrap, recycle at Sainsbury’s
Envelopes, various sizes, business size bulk packs – 100% recycled – Cardboard box
Tea and Coffee – Huge catering size packs, various packaging, shake box to check there’s no plastic insideT.K. Max
A write up here from Liz Hodge.
Missed Some?
If you have a review of a supermarket please send us a link and we will add it. Leave the link in the comments below.
Which Chain
Here are a few tips to help you choose a supermarket. Some are more ethical than others. or you might want to buy from a British company. Read more HERE>
Shopping Tips
If you want to buy loose, you will need to take your own reusable packaging – produce bags, tupperware even compostable disposables. You can find them here.
The plastic free freak should remember that
metal lids to glass jars are of course plastic lined .
Tin and cans including those for cosmetics are also plastic lined
Paper and foil wraps will be plastic lined.Choose Well
If you really can’t do without it and you have a choice a plastic wrapped products, choose to buy the one in simple plastics that can easily be recycled
More Ways To Buy Food
Here is a list of food types category with purchase details
Loose Food
Find out if a shop near you sells bulk food loose. This is stuff that that normally comes plastic packaged. A list of towns with shops selling loose food.
Milk
Delivered in glass bottles but double check before you orderOther Considerations
Whole food Market A supermarket case study
How to eat plastic free Buying only from supermarkets HERE.Buy British and cut those air miles. Some ideas HERE
N.B.
lines changes, products get removed. For more information why not ask the Plastic Is Rubbish FB group for updates. They are a great source of tidbits, personal experience and the latest news. Why not join them and share the plastic free love x
plasticisrubbish
Cutting plastic and living compostably
