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Why we refill instead of repackage
Every time we repack something into a new bag or bottle, we create waste before a single customer opens it. Refilling from bulk containers means less packaging, less cost, and fresher stock on the shelf.
Bring your own jar or container and fill up on grains, dried fruit or tea. It saves money, cuts down on plastic, and keeps our prices honest from the supplier through to you.
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Refilling isn't new, it's how shops worked before plastic took over. We brought it back because it works for the planet and your pocket.
The best packaging is the one you already own. A clean jar from home works just as well as anything new.
Our refill stations cover pantry staples, snacks and teas. Top up as often as you like, no minimum and no extra charge for your container.
We would rather weigh out what you need than wrap it in something new every time. It is slower at the till, but it is the part of the shop we are proudest of, and the part our regulars tell us they trust the most.
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Setting up the refill counter took longer than ordering pre packed stock ever would have. We had to find suppliers willing to deliver in bulk, work out containers that would not leak on the way to your car, and train ourselves to weigh things properly by hand.
None of that shows up on the shelf. What you see is a row of dispensers and a scale, and hopefully a lower price than the packaged version sitting on another shelf nearby.
Bring your own container, fill it with what you need, and leave the packaging out of it entirely. That is the whole system, and it works.
Packaging used to be free to us and expensive to the planet. Refilling flips that around, it costs us a little more time and attention, and it costs the planet a great deal less, which is exactly the swap we wanted to make.
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Not everything can be sold loose, and we are honest about that. Fresh juice, yoghurt and anything that needs a tight seal still comes in its own container, because food safety has to come first.
Where we can refill, we do, and where we cannot, we try to use packaging that can be reused or recycled close to home.
It is not a perfect system yet, but every pantry staple we move onto the refill counter is one less container that needed to be made in the first place.
A till slip at Groenkorf often looks shorter than you expect, simply because you did not pay for a box, a bag or a bottle this time. That difference is the whole point of the refill counter.
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Most of our regulars started with one or two items on the refill counter and slowly moved more of their pantry over once they got comfortable weighing things themselves. It is a habit that builds over a few visits, not something you need to commit to all at once.
Ask us for a container the first time if you do not have one yet. After that, just bring it back washed out and ready to fill again.
Containers get a quick check at the counter before we fill them, just to make sure they are clean and sealed properly for the trip home.
We keep our refill prices lower than the packaged versions on purpose, not as a special offer. It is meant to be the obvious choice once you have tried it, not an exception you have to remember.
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Since we started refilling, our plastic order has dropped by more than half. Jars come back lighter and shopping takes less time each week.
Less packaging doesn't mean less care. If anything, we pay closer attention to what goes into every container we refill.
Next time you're in, ask us how refilling works. We'll show you the stations and help you pick the right container to start with.
