A new business promoting zero-waste is to open its doors – meaning residents can go plastic-free on their food shop.
Fillfull, the brainchild of Alice Bardwell and Dan Prince, will be working on a ‘scoop and weigh’ system, where customers can buy or bring in containers and purchase as much as they need.
The couple, who have two children, are hard at work refurbishing the old post office in Mill Street and hope they can open at the end of the month.
They came up with the idea as both Dan and their daughter Matilda are gluten and dairy intolerant, and after watching Blue Planet, they looked at how similar shops operate.
Alice said: “It is difficult to be zero-waste; you have to research a lot, you have to challenge the providers of the products for the shops. Sometimes we have to say ‘no’ and stick to our guns.
“It’s really hard, I truly believe that every shop should be zero-waste – it’s how it should be. The shops in the town are making changes to be plastic-free, but it’s still really hard.
“We hope its going to be a hub as well. There is going to be opportunity for people to come forward that make things, whether that be food, crafts, but there has to be zero plastic.”
They showcased some of the items on sale at the town’s food festival on Saturday.
When the shop opens, there will be a range of gluten- and dairy-free produce from across the local area, as well as homemade laundry salt and deodorant.
Dan, 41, said: “For me, trying to get something to eat for lunch is really difficult – convenience food is rubbish.
“At first we were looking at savoury convenience food and then we saw Blue Planet and that was perfect timing to do this.
“We are watching our prices and keep them in line with other retailers.”
The couple are parents to Matilda, three, and Hugo, five, and have been busy juggling jobs and childcare to get the business started.
Alice added: “You have to keep the money coming in to try and build your dreams.”
The couple also hope to run classes making homemade deodorant and laundry salt.
They also run a children’s club called ‘Zero Heroes’, which aims to promote recycling to the next generation.
To find out more, search ‘Fillfull’ on Facebook.
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