Waste not, want not: the UK’s 10 best zero-waste supermarkets

Between a reliance on single-use plastics and buying more than we need, the UK has a serious waste problem. According to a recent report by The Grocer, it’s estimated that the country’s total food waste could feed upwards of 30 million people a year, whilst each family throws away over 10,000 pieces of single-use plastic (of which 10% is actually recycled). The solution is not an overnight one, but one of the biggest changes you can make is by switching to a zero-waste grocery supplier. Nowadays, we are spoilt for choice. We recommend researching in your local area, but with everything from independently-run neighborhood joints to larger online suppliers, these are Lick’s picks of the UK’s 10 best zero-waste supermarkets.

Get Loose Foods 

Located: Hackney City Farm, 1a Goldsmiths Row, London E2 8QA

Part of Hackney City Farm (one of our must-do eco-friendly activities in London) Get Loose is part zero-waste shop, part social enterprise. Selling everything from organic pasta, fruit, nuts, pulses, grains, mylks in glass bottles, and cheese in compostable wrapping—and lots more. Not local to Hackney? They deliver within the local area.

Abel & Cole

Location: Nationwide—check your postcode to see if they deliver in your area.

More than just organic fruit and veg boxes, Abel & Cole have come a long way in recent years. Now offering meal kits, as well as sharing lots of tasty recipes, they’ll deliver all your weekly essentials for the fridge, pantry, and household. Committed to never using air freight, they are a certified B Corp and are Soil Association Certified organic.

The Vegan Kind

Location: Nationwide—check your postcode to see if they deliver in your area.

The UK’s number one vegan supermarket, The Vegan Kind stocks thousands of plant-based products, household goods, and even beauty products. Committed to lowering their carbon footprint alongside their sustainable packaging they’ll plant a tree for every order you place with them.

Gather, Peckham

Location: 121 Bellenden Rd, London SE15 4QY

An organic refill shop and social enterprise Gather is a sustainable hub in the heart of Peckham. Aiming to help the local community to lower its environmental impact they stock all your home staples. What’s more 50% of all profits are donated to environmental charities or go towards improving their eco-credentials.

The Source 

Location: Across London, Brighton, and Online

As much about providing nutritious whole foods as they are about enabling Londoners to go low-waste, The Source has an extensive array of produce for you, your kids, your pets, and your home. With shops across London, check your postcode to see if they deliver in your area.

The Clean Kilo

Location: 11 St Mary's Row, Birmingham B13 8HW

The largest zero-waste supermarket in the UK, The Clean Kilo’s ethos is to help people go plastic-free and reduce their food waste.  Delivering to the greater Birmingham area they stock everything you could possibly need to keep your home plastic-free.