It’s a great feeling to take a rucksack or reusable bag and return with NO containers or packaging! When we set out to reduce the amount of waste in our recycling bins, it makes a huge difference to use refill shops.
Our map shows refill places in the Newcastle area. And here’s member Tips on how they’ve reduced their carbon footprint through refill shopping, and which sources they use. Please share your Tips and refill addresses with us too.
GENERAL TIPS
Paula: Simply take your container or purchase one of their own and enjoy buying household products without the guilt of plastic pollution.
Olwyn: Where possible, take the actual container you’re refilling - it avoids paper bags and means you get just the right amount
Sheila: Take your own containers. Exciting unusual stuff, and all the things you need. I go nearly every day
Olwyn: Save paper bags provided by shops and take them for your next refill purchase. Reuse glass jars as refill containers, also to transport drinking water
Paula: Simply take your container or purchase one of their own and enjoy buying household products without the guilt of plastic pollution.
REFILL EXPERIENCES
Something Good, Jesmond Road, Jesmond NE2 1LB
Olwyn: Something Good now has refills of oat milk - great way to cut out the cartons!
Wendy: Also sells reusable make up wipes etc
Rachel: So pleased you sent this! Been hunting high and low for refills of oat milk so you’ve made my day :)
General Store, 109 Heaton Park Road, Heaton, NE6 5NR www.facebook.com/109generalstoreheaton Calum: Amazing refill shop with really friendly staff and a massive range of produce. Kathy: Very friendly place! Organic and locally grown produce, lots and lots of refills, including delicious homemade granola and tasty bread. Also has useful range of eco cleaning products.
St Thomas’ One World and fair trade, St Mary’s Place, Haymarket, NE1 7PR
https://stthomas.church/shop
Hermione: A great place and central location. Temporarily closed during church refurbishment. Frances adds: Array of Ecover products. They refill any you bring, or have spare plastic bottles if you're short of one. Much cheaper, + saves on plastic use. Reopens Sept 2021
Ernie, Stepney Road, Ouseburn, NE2 1AP
https://ernieouseburn.com
Olwyn: New outlet, next to Ernest cafe and takeaway hatch. As well as refills, it tackles food waste by offering a discounted bag of goodies from 5pm to closing time at 8.
Nil Living, Grainger Market, Newcastle NE1 SQN
Olwyn: Huge range of refills, and delivery by bike available. Great to support other Grainger Market stallholders as well - they usually use far less packaging than supermarkets.
Fruit and Nut Shop, Grainger Market, Newcastle NE1 SQN
https://shop.graingerdelivery.com/collections/the-fruit-nut-company
Pauline: Not so fancy as NIL Living, but been there for years, providing option to buy loose goods, all sorts of pulses, nuts, seeds, flour pasta, cereals dried fruit etc.
The Honey Tree, 68 Heaton Road,Heaton, NE6 5HL
Deb: I highly recommend. You can refill everything from sunflower seeds to laundry liquid. They also offer organic veg and fruit box, to deliver or collect, and Piercebridge organic meat. Lovely people, too!
Olwyn adds: Easy to miss some product refills, out of sight behind the till. Organic veg can be pricier, but they do great deals from Saturday afternoon - usually a third off.
FURTHER AFIELD
Buy The Kilo, Tynemouth Metro Station, Tynemouth NEJO 2TF
Pauline: I also like very much Buy the Kilo, run by Jackie Sewell and her daughter Rachael Brien. Really easy to get to by Metro, as it is right in the station, but also a nice excuse to cycle out to the coast. Lovely pasta and great variety of pulses, as well as lots of plastic-free bathroom stuff.
Picture credits: Something Good, Olwyn Hocking