Zero-waste living: Where to shop in SA

Embracing a lifestyle that treads lightly on the Earth has become more than just a trend; it’s a conscious movement towards a more sustainable future. One of the ways to achieve this is zero-waste shopping – an approach that seeks to do away with needless waste and reduce our ecological footprint.

Where to shop sustainably

A zero-waste lifestyle involves reducing the amount of waste you produce – which starts with avoiding unnecessary packaging, especially when it comes to food and everyday essentials.

These stores are leading the way for South Africans who want to shop sustainably:

• Shop Zero opened its doors in Cape Town in 2017. The store offers refills of oats, nuts, pastas and more. It also carries its own range of environmentally friendly and plastic-free products such as safety razors, bamboo toothbrushes and biodegradable kitchen sponges.

• The Refillery in Gauteng has its own refill station where you can stock up on nuts, pasta, cleaning products and tea and coffee. There is a store at Denmyr Court.

• Products from The Green Tap can be bought at their shop in Sunningdale, Cape Town, or online. It stocks essential oils, refillable body soaps, surface cleaners and more.

• At Nude Foods in Cape Town, you can refill your jars with peanut butter, spices, lentils and looseleaf herbal teas. The store also offers organic produce and refills of cooking oils, balsamic vinegar and honey.

• Azikho, on KwaZulu-Natal’s Dolphin Coast, offers a range of natural cleaning products, essential oils and even biodegradable nappies.

Notebook

• Read our interview with the founder of Shop Zero
• These stores will take recyclables off your hands and some may even reward you for recycling