An Islington grocery shop is saving the planet by changing the way people shop.
Refill Therapy, which stocks refillable groceries and eco-friendly products, took over its Holloway Road Branch in June, and since then have been providing Islington Residents with net-zero approach to shopping.
“The passion for refill is huge in Islington,” said co-owner Alpesh Patel, who started out with a flagship store in Hackney Wick. “It’s had a really positive impact.”
Refill Therapy started out after Alpesh’s business partner, Dax, was given a hard time by his six-year-old son about how much plastic waste the family was making.
Each branch stocks local products, sourced ethically and with sustainable packaging, alongside refillable food so customers can take the exact amount they require. The Islington branch sells coffee and honey made in the borough.
“The main aim is to reduce plastic waste, food waste and carbon emissions,” said Alpesh.
Nearly two million tonnes of food waste is produced in London each year. Shops like Refill Therapy aim to tackle the issue by enabling customers to take the exact amount they need.
“When you buy food, you might end up throwing away half the packet because you don’t really need it,” said Alpesh. “Here it’s a mindful experience, you buy what you need, the quantities aren’t decided for you by other people.”
While the Islington branch was faced with scepticism at first, the brand has grown from selling 400 products to more than 2,000.
Part of its success has come from adapting to the local market, shifting the model from selling the sustainable packaging popular in Hackney to focusing primarily on refill.
“It’s about making sure people realise this option is out there,” said Alpesh. “When you’re doing refill, you have to think and make it into a habit. But once you get past that habit, you’re reducing your impact on the environment.”
Refill Therapy hopes to make sustainability more accessible, price matching their budget range to Sainsbury’s along with offering more premium products.
“We don’t need one person to shop perfectly,” said Alpesh. “We just want everyone to change one thing and have an impact on the environment.”
