Zero waste shop opens in Shrewsbury

Green Options Zero Waste, in the Darwin Shopping Centre, allows customers to take in their own containers to fill with a range of items, from cereals, oils, dried items and pasta to luxury tea and coffee.

Sam and Lillie said in the few weeks they have been open they have already built up a stream of regular customers.

"It has been a brilliant welcome to Shrewsbury," Sam said.

"We already have a following and we also get added footfall from people walking past in the shopping centre.

"There are customers who now do a weekly shop with us and those who pop in to browse."

The products, from edibles to cleaning items, are stored in large glass containers.

"People can use our free paper bags, buy bottles or jars from us or bring their own and fill them from our large containers," he added.

"Some items are cheaper than if you bought them all packaged up. Some of our produce however are luxury items."

The stop also stocks non plastic goods such as reusable cups, bamboo tooth brushes and old fashioned shaving brushes and razors.

"We were both interested in cutting down on the use of plastic and I used to work for councils in Leicester and Bedford in recycling," he added.

"I was conscious that while we are recycling we are completely avoiding the problem at source, which is to use less plastics in the first place."