Goods go naked

Packaging has a woefully short shelf-life. No sooner have your rich minerals been taken from the earth and converted into plastics than they are heading 6 feet under again. This time as toxic landfill. Unpackaged is an ingenious solution. A waste-friendly way to buy organic whole foods and environmentally friendly products, which has consumers bring their own containers along to stalls for on-the-spot refills and rewards us with cut-price savings.  

The resulting 'refuelling stations' are currently rolling out across London – at Exmouth market and a soon-to-join Broadway market from Easter – with, ultimately, the idea being for Unpackaged to become a home delivery scheme where customers order, pay on-line and keep waste-lines and carbon emissions to a minimum. All products are certified organic and Fairtrade where available and the service currently stocks pulses and rices, cereals, fruits and grains,herbs and spices, nuts and seeds, teas, coffees and toiletries and many, eco household cleaning products. Where feasible the organisers take refill requests.

The company,  set up in 2006 by Catherine Conway, was designed to divert excess waste from landfill and re brand the age-old concept of an open-market mentality. 'Consumers are so often made to feel so guilty about their waste consumption', says Conway, ' but rarely are we presented with solutions. At present our only options are to go for biodegradable bottles or to leave our packaging in a vaguely protesterly fashion at the check out. I wanted the opportunity to buy produce in the way I would like. Communally and responsibly. And I hoped I wouldn't be alone.'

Alone, she has not been. The company is currently working with a London based office on a demand and supply scheme and looking at expansion into other markets. National prospects beckon. The small print on the company's own packaging is, predictably, impeccable. Unpackaged is currently working on a sustainability policy based on its triple bottom line which will be transparent, measurable and cover every aspect of their business.