Here I will talk about the shops and website that I found helped me along my plastic free journey. As I went along, I looked for more and more alternatives to replace plastic packaging in various areas of my life and I have ended up with a list of 'go to' places for certain things. I have made every subheading into a hyperlink so you can head straight to the websites if you wish to do so.
Shops
Jay's Budgens
This shop is located in Crofton Park and has a small selection of lose dried goods including:
- couscous,
- barley,
- lentils,
- dried fruits,
- muesli,
- seeds,
- nuts
- snacks.
In the fridge section, they stock cheese in wax by Snowdonia, The Cheshire Cheese company and Godminster and some rice yoghurt by La Cremerie which comes in a glass jar.
Mission Green
This shop is located in Hither Green and is completely plastic free. They sell a wide range of things including food, hygiene products, water bottles, straws and more. These are the items I regularly get from Mission Green:
- oats
- pearl barley
- long grain rice
- arborio rice
- breadcrumbs
- muesli
- granola
- lentils
- quinoa
- dried fruits (dates, apricots, bananas, figs, etc)
- nuts
- snacks
- peanut butter
They have lots more on offer which I haven't tried yet. They are always very helpful and friendly when I go and will usually email you a receipt which is very handy.
Antonio Delicatessen
This small deli is located in Lewisham centre and sells traditional Italian food. Unfortunately, a lot of it is packaged in plastic but there are a few things I still go here for.
They will refill your own olive oil bottle with really good quality oil for a discount. I also go here for some cold cuts of meat or cheeses and bring my own containers or beeswraps. The owner is very friendly and the staff have always accommodated my request without problems.
Proud Sow
This is our local butcher in Crofton Park and the only place we buy fresh meat nowadays (even though we have reduced the amount of meat we eat considerably). I have come here a few times with my own reusable containers and the staff has always been happy to oblige. The prices are good and I can vouch for the quality of the meat. They also sell bread, some vegetables and sauces.
Lush
I have been using this shop for a long time before I even started this journey. My go to items here are solid shampoo and conditioner. I have also bought solid deodorant which I really liked. However, as it is unpackaged, it dried out quite a lot by the time I got to the end of it and they wouldn't sell me a smaller piece. I may try to store differently next time.
Websites
Here is a list of website I use regularly to buy plastic free alternatives.
Peace with the Wild
This website sells a range of products, from skincare to mama and baby supplies. It is very easy to use and the tabs work well to find what you need. I find this to be one of the most comprehensive plastic free stockist.
What I buy from here:
- toothpaste (tables, toothsoap and pastes)
- mouthwash tablets
- soap pouches for the shower
- glass bottles for cleaning products
- cleaning products refill sachets
- biodegradable plasters
- biodegradable sponges
- mouthwash
- bottle brush
- bamboo toothbrush
- reusable nail varnish remover felts made of bamboo
- on the go items (cutlery, coconut bowl, snack pouch)
I have always been happy with the quality of the products, although prices vary depending on the supplier or size of pack (e.g. the mouthwash tablets are considerably cheaper in the large bottle). I have also bough some items from here as presents to encourage family members to embark on the plastic free voyage.
This website has also started a loyalty programme, where you collect point for each £ you spend to have money off in the future.
Waste not store
This website sells a range of products in the kitchen, bathroom and on the go range. The website is easy to use and prices are reasonable but they seem to have a lot of items out of stock every time I check.
What I bough from here:
- stainless steel lunch box
- reusable cotton rounds (for removing make up)
- biodegradable cotton buds
- plastic free dental floss
- toothpaste
I was very happy with the quality of the items and I use my lunch box regularly.
Boobalou
This website has quite competitive prices but the layout and organisation of it is somewhat less straight forward. There are some really good finds here though.
What I bought from here:
- Safix coconut scrubbers
- soap pouches
- wooden toilet brush
- metal toilet brush holder
- floor cloths
- toothpaste tablets
Plastic Freedom
I've used this website a few times for things that were tricky to find elsewhere; however, most of these sites are constantly updating their products to match each other so it's worth looking around.
Things I bought from here:
- glue
- razor set for a gift
- cleaning product sachets
Who Gives a Crap
We use this for toilet paper, they also sell other types of tissue-based products but I find the price is not as competitive as it is for tp. They offer a subscription service depending on the size of your household and I get reminders for when my next box is due to ship in advance so it's easy to make adjustments. We have also upgraded to a limited edition at Christmas time to get the funky wrappers and used this to wrap Christmas presents which was quite fun.
I have not put product reviews on this page since you can find these dotted throughout my blogs. I am trying to update these regularly with new products I find so you can see how I have used them. Click on the links below if you'd like to see how I've found any of the products mentioned above.
hi nice website