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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_

https://www.facebook.com/TheModernMilkman/

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.uk

Onward 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.”

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Spain- loose and unpackaged

There is a lot of loose food available in Spain. Search out small and independent shops and use the fantastic markets.

They sell frozen food including fish fingers. Most town will have a store that does this. Some supermarkets also do it.

There are wine bottle refill shops where you can use your own bottle.

Cheese is sold in rounds, is tasty and suprisingly cheap.

You will have to take your own plastic free packaging.

 

See photos in the FB gallery

Seville

There are several loose tea and coffee shops in Seville so keep your eyes open.
Just near the Parasol is Asuka. They  sell loose herb tea and coffee beans, reusable one cup filters and loose chocolates. Has paper bags and cool staff. Best take your own bags to be on the safe side. Here’s the website.

Read about

Crisps

Do you know how long it is since I had crisps – gorging out on them here because they sell them loose in paper cones. OMG!!!!!

Barcelona

There is a great company based in Barcelona making  stylish cloth produce bags for your loose food. Otherwise you will have to import your own.

Crisps sold loose served in a paper cone.

Crisps sold loose served in a paper cone.

More

See our other Seville posts here and our plastic free travel notes here.

Check out the other plastic free places we have been – outside the U.K. I mean….

 

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Huddersfield Queensgate Market

Queensgate Market has now closed. As it is an architectural landmark cannot be demolished but its future is uncertain.

From Kirklees Council website

Opened on April 6th 1970 the Queensgate Market Hall was built with a bespoke roof system of 21 asymmetric curved shells. The design allows for maximum light into the market and is considered to be the best example still standing of a retail market from the 1960s and 1970s.

In 2005 Culture Minister David Lammy listed the building as Grade II, stating, “It is an imaginative structure that combines innovative technology of its time to produce a dramatic space full of natural light with the striking focal point of the roof.”
The exterior of the building incorporates natural stone with exposed concrete and several art relief panels all individually sculpted by the artist Fritz Steller.

The Hall has been haled by local architecture expert Adrian Evans as “A spectacular combination of architecture, engineering and art.”
For further information and images visit Huddersfield Gem

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Leeds

There is a wide range of plastic free and refill options in and around Leeds.

What Are Refill Stores?

Bulk buy or refill stores are places you can buy food loose.You take as much as you want/need from a larger container and you can usually use your own packaging.


Packaging

While these shops provide bags and they are almost always plastic ones. You will need to take your own plastic-free and/or reusable bags.

Tare

The weight of the container may make a difference at checkout. Some shops  subtract the tare weight but other don’t. The tare weight is the weight of the empty container.

Kirkgate Market

Covered market hall and out door market. A wonderful fantasy of Victorian architecture. Loads of stalls
Open Monday – Saturday,  from 8am until 5.30pm
Some Quick Facts
Built 1857,
host to Jamie’s Ministry of Food
has a Shop & Drop scheme
home to the original Marks & Spencer stall where it all began
fantastic architecture

There is also an outdoor market
Monday: Second Hand Clothing
Tuesday: Friday & Saturday: General Market
Wednesday: Asian Bazaar
Thursday Flea Market
For more information visit the website

Buy

Food & Drink

The Teapot sells coffee beans and tea leaves loose.

The NUT SHOP cake related stuff to candied peel to spices & nuts all sold LOOOSE. Plus decorative things and sprinkles. See more here

The Jar Tree

you can take your own packaging and buy just about everything you might ever need, plastic free.
You can see a picture diary here of all the products stocked including NOODLES!!!!
Or visit the website for more. They are continually updating the product list here:
http://www.thejartree.co.uk/store-product-list.html
And they welcome all suggestions in store too!
Address: Leeds Kirkgate Market, Unit BS1, Leeds LS2 7HY
Phone: 07470 033404 https://www.facebook.com/thejartree/

And there are other shops now selling loose nuts elsewhere on the market.You have to take your own plastic free bags.

It is fantastic for unpackaged food, meat and veg,

Plenty of stalls selling loose sweets

Personal Care

Soap & Solid Shampoo

“Home to the very best 5* reviewed, natural & handmade soap bars & bath soap gift sets for every skin type. From Shampoo Bars to Foot Soap Bars we have a soap bar & bath soap gift set suit you, & all are SLS & Paraben free. Plus natural liquid soap, handmade bath bombs, eco accessories, gifts & more!” Visit the website here.
Many of them come #plasticfree
They do my favourite Friendly Soap from Todmorden who make a soap and a shampoo bar that is as effective but far cheaper than Lush. Read all about them, here.

Maya’s

for
Cocoa butter
Shea butter

Yes they come in plastic but they can be used  to make home made creams and lotions. Thereby saving you loads of other plastic. #plastictocutplastic. Read more here.

Sells

Fabric Stalls
A good range including Jacks,that sell end of line remnants of Yorkshire made wooden fabric. Read more here.
Plus sewing supplies stalls that sell bobbins and other stuff loose!

See a pictorial guide over at the Fb Page Plastic Is rubbish group

Supermarkets & Chainstores

Sometimes supermarkets can surprise you – check out the plastic-free and reduced packaging products here.

Don’t Live In Leeds

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 i.e 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 food.

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.

Buy Me a Coffee at ko-fi.com

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C & D

Find refill stores in
Cleethorpes
and bloggers in and around devon

What Are Refill Stores?
Bulk buy or refill stores are places you can buy food loose.You take as much as you want/need from a larger container and you can usually use your own packaging.


Packaging
While these shops provide bags and they are almost always plastic ones. You will need to take your own plastic-free and/or reusable bags.

Tare

The weight of the container may make a difference at checkout. Some shops  subtract the tare weight but other don’t. The tare weight is the weight of the empty container.

Towns

Cleethorpes
Spill the Beans St Peter’s Avenue #cleethorpes now have paper bags out as an alternative to plastic. If you’ve not been here PLEASE check if out! Loads of fab whole foods plus cereals Baking stuff and more #cleethorpes #discovernel #totallylocallynel

D is for Devon

Bloggers

Sarah from Devon blogs about living plastic free in this lovely part of the world. Read about it here.

More

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 i.e 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 food.

Find A Milk Delivery Service With Glass Bottles Here 

Supermarkets

Sometimes supermarkets can surprise you – check out the plastic-free and reduced packaging products here.

Help Me

Please add any shops you know of in the comments below and I will incorporate them into the post.
Links to reviews particularly welcome.
Dont have a blog? Love guest posts…

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

Buy Me a Coffee at ko-fi.com

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Aberystwyth with love….

louie knightMy impressions of Aberystwyth have been mostly formed by the surreal, rather wonderful writings of Malcolm Pryce creator of Welsh noire. His lonely gum-shoe Louie Knight prowls the greasy, sun-lotion slicked streets crushing discarded rock underfoot. A man caught in a miserable miasma of broken dreams blurred neon and light drizzle. His investigations take him to half abandoned caravan parks, seedy amusements arcades and dreary pubs. In short Aberystwyth sounded like a run down Blackpool. . Thankfully it is nothing like that.

In fact we greatly enjoyed our stay in this friendly and welcoming town not least because of the wide range of plastic free treats on offer.

On Saturday there is a farmers market that sells real cheeses and fresh pasta. We were rather late and had to settle for the beetroot and garlic pasta. It looked like a big plate of bacon when it was cooked which was confusing! Strange but tasty.

We loved the cheese shop and the coffee merchants. Got some ridiculously expensive but wonderfully flavoured nettle Gouda and some reasonably priced Brazilian coffee beans. They also do loose tea.

Next up was the sweet shop for chocolate covered ginger balls. Hot brown orbs of fun!

Had the best fish and chips ever – in a cardboard box. Rather missed tomato ketchup but held firm! Even though we have a bottle in the van it stayed in the cupboard.

There is a little fish shop where we got some uncooked salmon in our own bags of course.

Got a naked cucumber at the health food shop and could have bought brown rice in paper bags if we had needed any. Which we didn’t thanks to Whole Foods Market.

Finally and I don’t know if I should tell you this but I got some loose hand rolling tobacco. £4.75 for 300 grams. Is that expensive. I don’t know.

What Are Refill Stores?

Bulk buy or refill stores are places you can buy food loose.You take as much as you want/need from a larger container and you can usually use your own packaging.

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 i.e rice, pasta and salt. And yes these shops do exist in the U.K. There’s just not many of them.
Heres alist of towns with shops selling loose food.


Packaging

While these shops provide bags and they are almost always plastic ones. You will need to take your own plastic-free /reusable bags, tubs and bottles.

Tare

The weight of the container may make a difference at checkout. Some shops  subtract the tare weight but other don’t. The tare weight is the weight of the empty container.

More

 

Find otherloose food stores here



Find A Milk Delivery Service With Glass Bottles Here

Supermarkets

Sometimes supermarkets can surprise you – check out the plastic-free and reduced packaging products here.

Help Me

Please add any shops you know of in the comments below and I will incorporate them into the post.

 

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T towns for loose food

Find refill stores in
Tiverton
Todmorden
Totnes

Find towns beginning with w different letterhere …

What Are Refill Stores?

Bulk buy or refill stores are places you can buy food loose.You take as much as you want/need from a larger container and you can usually use your own packaging.

Packaging

While these shops provide bags and they are almost always plastic ones. You will need to take your own plastic-free /reusable bags, tubs and bottles.

Tare

The weight of the container may make a difference at checkout. Some shops  subtract the tare weight but other don’t. The tare weight is the weight of the empty container.

Tiverton

Reaper @ReapersTiverton
18 Bampton Street, Tiverton, Devon, EX16 6AA 01884 255310

Totnes

The Uk’s only Zero Waste, organic, bulk-buy, plant-based, wholefoods shop. Visit our family-run shop in Totnes, Devon.
http://thezerowasteshop.co.uk/

Todmorden

The Market
Local markets are a great place to find plastic free food and I love Todmorden Market. There is an indoor covered  hall and outdoor stalls. You can get everything you need and some fantastic treats including loose
peppercorns
Coffee beans and tea
Tobacco for pipes.
There is a great hardware stall that sells loose screws, grass seed by weight and cotton boot laces

Biscuits The same as those in Huddersfield Market. You can read more here.
Meat

  • Hooks
  • Olives
  • CHEESE!!!!
    Opening Times
    Indoor Market
    Monday to Saturday (half day closing Tuesday)
    9.00am to 5.30pm
    Open Air Market
    Wednesday, Friday, Saturday – General retail.
    Thursday – Second hand.
    Sunday – General retail and second-hand.
    9.00am to 4.00pm
    You can even shop online for selected goods from the market and get them delivered direct to your door.
    Address: Todmorden Market, Burnley Road, Todmorden OL14 5DJ
    Telephone: 01706 819731
    Todmorden Market WebsiteYou can see a some of the stalls listed here

    Todmorden Shops

    The Bear Co-op

    Does olive oil refills

    The Wholefood Shop 

    Cover refills – read more about this washing up liquid and other refills here. And find a refill point near you here.

    Supermarkets

    Sometimes supermarkets can surprise you – check out the plastic-free and reduced packaging products here.

    Help Me

    Please add any shops you know of in the comments below and I will incorporate them into the post.
    Links to reviews particularly welcome.
    Dont have a blog? Love guest posts…

    More

    You can find a list of all other plastic free products over at the A to Z

    You can find other loose food outlets here …

  • Tea Loose Leaves

    For other tea & coffee posts check out our index. Where you will also find tea, cocoa and something stronger.

    Read Up

    BUY

    Independents

    You will also find a list of tea and coffee merchants

    Online


    This is an interesting option that allows you to buy food on line, plastic free in compostable packaging. Read more HERE

    They sell a wide range of teas including herbal.

    Supermarkets

    PG Tips are selling tea in a cardboard box. In supermarkets! Way to go PG.

    PG Tips is “Unilever is a British-Dutch transnational consumer goods company co-headquartered in London, United Kingdom and Rotterdam, Netherlands. Its products include food, beverages, cleaning agents and personal care products. Wikipedia”

    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.”

    MORE

    Brewing Up

    How to make plastic-free tea – it’s all in the tea balls.

    For other tea & coffee posts check out our index. Where you will also find tea, cocoa and something stronger.

    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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    Oil Vegetable Cooking Refill

    Vegetable oil is difficult to source plastic free. Buy in glass and the metal caps will have a little plasticized disc or plastic liner on inside and maybe a plastic seal. Plus the bottle will almost always have a plastic pouring widget in the bottle top.Like I can’t pour oil out of a bottle??? Buy in  cans and they have a plastic lid, perhaps a handle and the can is of course  lined with plastic. You can read more here

    On Tap
    But if you are very lucky you might find a place that sell oils on tap that lets you use your own refillable bottle. Do you need me to explain that? They sell oil from the can and you take your own bottle, which they refill with oil.

    Whahey plastic free oil!

    That said in 2015  Defra  banned ‘On tap’ olive oil. The following is taken form their website….”These oils mustn’t be sold ‘on tap’ in their pure form: extra virgin olive oil, virgin olive oil, olive oil composed of refined olive oils and virgin olive oils, olive pomace oil. Today (2016) seems oil is back on tap. So,  for now you can buy olive oil on tap from a variety of store.

    Using your own bottle?
    It would seem that some stores allow you to refill your own bottle. Whole Food Market do and I refilled my glass bottle there.  But I cannot vouch for the others listed below! Any information on the subject is much appreciated.

    Oil refills in the U.K.

    The butchers St Agnes, Devon
    Wholefood Supermarket Cheltenham & London

    Demijohn – Victoria St, Edinburgh refill oil & vinegar (and spirits at Demijohn).

    Olive oil Stoneygate, Leicester http://www.deliflavour.net/may also do refills but not checked
    Sheena Hatton Claremont Farm in Wirral (oils and vinegars) and Spar in Llanfyllin.Åsa PamphilonHoland andBarrer in Chelmsford.” I havent yet refilled but it is clearly two different prices for their bottle and oil/vinegar or just a refill so I assume I will have no problems.

    More

    Or you could try lard. Other greasy options and ways to buy plastic reduced oils and spreads can be found here the edible oil index here.
    And everything you need to know about fatty acids 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

    Buy Me a Coffee at ko-fi.com

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    Cheese

    My plastic boycott started because I didn’t like the impact plastic packaging had on the environment – as I learnt more, I began to worry about the impact it might be having on me.Plastic contains phthalates which are (possibly) carcinogenic and cause the feminization of male animals exposed to them. They are found in the stuff used to wrap meats and cheeses.

    Bisphenol A is known to cause neurological and hormonal damage to lab animals. This is found in plastic food and drinks containers. There are indications that these chemicals can leach into the plastic wrapped products.

    How to buy

    There are three ways to buy plastic free (ish) cheese. 

    Off the block:Find a place that sells large blocks of cheese and asked them to cut you off please. Be aware most large cheeses come wrapped in plastic so it’s not so much plastic free in total as plastic free for you. while the sensible part of me, (the part that wanted my hormones undamaged), said stick with it, the greedy me was lusting after a piece of phthalate ridden cheese.

    Artisan:Find an artisan cheese shop that sells high-class cheese. Downside extremely expensive.

    Wax wrapped cheeses:These are individual cheeses that come coated and coloured wax. The cheese tends to be rather nice but it is more expensive. And what actually is in that wax? Find out here

    Note

    none of the above are as easy as buying from a supermarket. So you might need to change your attitude to cheese. Make it more of a treat and luxury good rather than a staple. This has the added advantage of making you a little less animal products dependent.

    And you get to eat some really good cheese.

    However there is no denying it is very expensive and often inconvenient.

    If you really can’t do without cheap cheese read our plastic free treats post and allow yourself a big block.

    How/where to buy

    Off the block

    Markets: Sometimes sell loose cheese. It is not entirely plastic free – the large cheeses are packed in plastic and covered with Clingfilm but it is better than individually wrapped pieces – to my mind at least!

    Huddersfield:Same with the Polish Deli on Wood Street in huddersfield

    Supermarkets: have done this is Tescos and other supermarkets that have cheese counters. Again not entirely plastic free as the large block comes plastic wrapped.

    Cheese Makers / Merchants

    Find a local cheesmaker or specialist cheese shop. They tend to cut into the cheese as and when it is wanted. And traditional cheeses tend to come traditionally packaged. That is not plastic wrapped.

    Yorkshire Dales

    Combining the best of all worlds. Plastic free shopping and cheese. Yes I visited the marvellous The Courtyard Dairy were they make and sell artisan cheeses from the UK and Europe. As well as the shop, there a cheese production room, a small museum with a display few cheesy artefacts and a café serving cheese-based cuisine.

    But back to the shop. OMG!!! The cheeses are stacked in a glorious cornucopia of cheese wheels mostly unpackaged and free range.
    Yes they are a bit pricey but it is cheese to die for. Take your own bags  to be sure, and you can bring back some luxury cheese that is also plastic free.

    but don’t take my word! it is winner of numerous awards including the ‘Cheesemonger of The Year’ (at the Farm Shop and Deli Awards 2016 and separately at the World Cheese Awards 2013); The Best New Cheese Retailer (2013 British Cheese Awards), Best Cheese Counter (World Cheese Awards 2013) and was also a runner up for Yorkshire Food Destination of the Year (2013) BBC Food & Farming Awards (2014) and Observer Food Monthly Awards (2015).

    This is top quality cheese.

    Its located just outside Settle on the A65 heading towards Kendal, in what was the former Falconry Centre (LA2 8AS).

    Find out more, here.

    Bideford

    If you live near Bideford, get yourself down to the farmers market held on the harbour on Saturdays. There is a cheese stall that sells proper home-made, unpackaged cheese. It’s good, really good! Remember to take your own bags….

    Whitney

    Gemma, Darren & Ian can be found at Whitney Market selling their unwrapped and totally delicious cheeses. They also have a website 

    Monkland Herefordshire

    You can cheese from the working diary or go one step further and learn how to make it yourself! Here’s the website

    Utracomida Aberystwyth restaurant and delicatessen

    Located a stone’s throw from the sea on Pier Street – our Aberystwyth deli and restaurant offers a wonderful selection of artisan food and drink.And wonderful cheese. Here are the details

    Find speciallist cheese makers here

    Waxed Cheeses

    These are individual cheeses that come coated and coloured wax. The cheese tends to be rather nice but it is more expensive. Most supermarkets sell them. But you might want to consider what actually is in that wax? Find out here

    Want more???? YES!

    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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    Lidles

    Lidles  is a chain of budget supermarkets. It offers some plastic free surprises. (Click the links to see a review and other options). Take your own bags

    Lidl Stiftung & Co. KG (German pronunciation: [ˈliːdl̩]; UK: /ˈlɪdəl/ LID-əl), formerly Schwarz Unternehmenstreuhand KG, is a German global discount supermarket chain, based in Neckarsulm, Germany,[1] that operates over 10,000 stores across Europe and the United States.[2] It belongs to Dieter Schwarz, who also owns the store chains Handelshof and hypermarket Kaufland.

    porridge oats in a paper bag

    salt in a cardboard box

    pistachios (take your own bag and scoop out as much as you want)

    White rice in a cardboard box

    Bakery section selling loose rolls and continental pastries. These are good value and pretty good – particularly enjoyed the pain au raisin. Again take your own bags.

    Tissues, box of,  without a plastic collar.

    I haven’t tried these but they look promising;
    bread mix flour with yeast already added just add oil and water, what sounds like plastic free corn flour and breadcrumbs in a box (no plastic crackle when squeezed).

    Sadly most of the veg is plastic wrapped and all the meat and cheese.

    More

    I have not seen these myself but know a woman who has.

    Here are some packaging less products from Louises 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.

    Butter – Paper

    Bread, loaves and rolls – Bulk from Bakery – Very good selection

    Breadcrumbs – Cardboard – Can anyone confirm there is no bag inside?

    Bread Mixes, various larger bags – Paper

    Cake Mixes, various – Paper – Seasonal item not always in stock

    Cornflour – Cardboard – Can anyone confirm that there is no bag inside?

    Doughnuts – Bulk from Bakery

    Feta – Glass Jar

    Fish Fingers and battered fish, MSC – Cardboard

    Fruit and Vegetables – Reasonable selection of loose produce

    Nuts, salted cashews, pistachios – Bulk bins – Take very light weight bags as no tare

    Oats – Paper – Excellent value

    Pastries, Croissants, Pain Au Choc and various Danishes – Bulk from Bakery

    Pizza Slices – Bulk from Bakery

    Rice, white – Cardboard

    Salt – Cardboard

    Washing powder, non-bio – Cardboard – No plastic scoop

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    Spices including pepper

    Dried and ground can be bought

    Loose

    The Nut Shop Leeds Market HERE

    If you cannot get to Leeds you can try
    health food shops
    Wholefood Market a supermarket chain
    Weigh & Save shops a UK franchise

    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 alist of towns with shops selling loose food.


    Packaging

    While these shops provide bags and they are almost always plastic ones. You will need to take your own plastic-free /reusable bags.

    In Jars & Tins

    Spices in tins

    These guys use tins for their spices. Yes the tins are most likely plastic lined and I am sure there will be a plastic seal but it is much reduced. They also do mixes for curry so you dont have to buy hundreds of different products.

    The Bart Ingredients Co. Ltd.,
    Bristol,
    England,
    BS3 4AD.
    Packed in: United Kingdom
    Packaging Tin

    You can buy them in Sainsbury’s.

    Pepper Corns

    I have yet to source and totally plastic-free, ready ground pepper so I have to buy peppercorns and grind it myself.

    These can be bought  loose in Todmorden indoor market,  Todmorden. They do black, mixed and pink peppercorns.

    If you  do go down this route you will need to get something to grind them in.

    Many people like to use a pepper mill. There is are a huge range available in non plastic materials but I cannot really advise. I am way too impatient to use a peppermill especially for cooking so I smash the peppercorns to bits in a stone mortar and pestle. I suppose I could buy an electric grinder (definitely not plastic free), but I like smashing them to bits. You need quite a heavy one – stone is best.I got a marble mortar and pestle from the Asian Supermarket.

    Check out this Pinterest page for inspiration

    More

    Want salt? You can get it here….

    Sea salt

    Can be bought from the Weigh & Save in Penzance and possibly at the other branches of this strange  store

    Normal Salt

    What do you call this – cooking salt? Budget and in a box from Lidles