Waitrose trials bulk foods without packaging

SatNavSaysStraightOn

SatNavSaysStraightOn

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I showed this news article today about Waitrose trying to ditch plastic and get shoppers to bring their own containers for dried food and the likes.

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/...-trial-to-wean-shoppers-off-plastic-fm6p2c5sh

It's fantastic news but it seems to me that supermarkets in general are very slow at doing this kind of thing. I know Waitrose have been great about plastic bags for a long time, or more accurately lack of plastic bags. Waitrose members were given free fabric trolley bags with foldable hard sides and bottoms for their shopping. shopping could get 4 into a trolley. And if you needed more you could buy them. In fact we are still using ours in Australia 3 years after leaving the country, though the modern ones are not nearly as good a quality as the old ones were.

We have a number of stores that are bulk item stores here in Canberra where you can buy anything dried, loose. You're encouraged to bring your own containers, anything will do. They weigh out first and record write the weight down on the container our you can purchase their containers, or simply use a paper bag. Most of the items to buy are dried items, cereals, fruit, rice, flour etc but there's also olive oil, washing up liquid, washing powder, as well as herbs and spices.

So it seems to me that supermarkets are actually playing catchup rather than anything else and really its a catchup with the past!
 
Shops have been doing this here for a year or so, from Tesco to our independent fishmonger. Sadly, Tesco have taken a backward step by closing their fresh meat and fish counters from Sun to Tues, leaving shoppers with no option other than pre-packed food.
 
epicuric said:
Shops have been doing this here for a year or so, from Tesco to our independent fishmonger. Sadly, Tesco have taken a backward step by closing their fresh meat and fish counters from Sun to Tues, leaving shoppers with no option other than pre-packed food.
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This isn't for fresh foods, its for dried bulk foods such as rice, flour, pasta (dried), breakfast cereal, coffee beans. I can't imagine three hygiene issues with allowing any member of the public to potential use bare hands, uncleaned, to serve themselves raw steak or fish!
 
SatNavSaysStraightOn said:
This isn't for fresh foods, its for dried bulk foods such as rice, flour, pasta (dried), breakfast cereal, coffee beans. I can't imagine three hygiene issues with allowing any member of the public to potential use bare hands, uncleaned, to serve themselves raw steak or fish!
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I probably didn't explain very well - some stores invite you to take along your own tupperware containers, which they will put meat and fish into, thus saving on packaging. Tesco's closing their meat & fish counters means that customers are forced to buy pre-packaged items instead.
 
It's just started here as well, north island is doing it and if it works South Island will get it. Containers to get deli type Goods, we already have no plastic shopping bags. You have to take your own basket.

Russ
 
rascal said:
You have to take your own basket.
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I can understand taking your own bags but basket? As in what type? Do shops not provide baskets to use the store then you put things into your own bags after the items are scanned.?

I've just done the weekly shop and the cashier really liked my waitrose store bags. They have fold up sides and are designed to go in trolleys 4 to a trolley. They are stunningly strong and robust. We've had ours for over a decade now.
 
rascal said:
They are like light cotton material, the shops supply them free. Just got to keep a few in the car.

Russ
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So how are items packaged in the shops - I'm assuming you still get pasta and rice in packets as well as loose? And what about meat?
 
One of our local independent shops used to sell loose stuff - you couldn't serve yourself - they weighed it out and put it in paper bags or your containers - but were banned from doing so by environmental health.
 
rascal said:
Food is still individually wrapped, but loose in your own container is coming.

Russ
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Some of the supermarkets in the UK do put meat, fish etc in your own container but there have been worries about them being sued if anyone gets food-poisoning where the container hasn't been clean.
In the good old days before plastic bags came in and there were no supermarkets, meat and fish would be put in greaseproof bags and cheese wrapped in greaseproof paper.
When I was in Austria, the butter we sold would be weighed and put in greaseproof paper too, and for milk it was a case of provide your own jug :laugh:
 
Elawin said:
Some of the supermarkets in the UK do put meat, fish etc in your own container but there have been worries about them being sued if anyone gets food-poisoning where the container hasn't been clean.
In the good old days before plastic bags came in and there were no supermarkets, meat and fish would be put in greaseproof bags and cheese wrapped in greaseproof paper.
When I was in Austria, the butter we sold would be weighed and put in greaseproof paper too, and for milk it was a case of provide your own jug :laugh:
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Fish here is vacuum packed which is a new thing for a supermarket.

Russ
 
Elawin said:
One of our local independent shops used to sell loose stuff - you couldn't serve yourself - they weighed it out and put it in paper bags or your containers - but were banned from doing so by environmental health.
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That's interesting - I was watching a TV programme about this issue and it featured a market stall (can't remember where it was) called 'Waste Not Want Not' which served loose foods. The interviewer asked about the problem of 'dirty containers' but it didn't seem to be an issue for them. They said that they did check but that the responsibility was ultimately with the customer.
 
morning glory said:
That's interesting - I was watching a TV programme about this issue and it featured a market stall (can't remember where it was) called 'Waste Not Want Not' which served loose foods. The interviewer asked about the problem of 'dirty containers' but it didn't seem to be an issue for them. They said that they did check but that the responsibility was ultimately with the customer.
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There seem to be all sorts of rules and regs concerning loose foods, some of which vary from Council to Council, and whether the produce is sold on a market stall or in a shop. When I had my shop in east London, even though it was not a food shop nor registered as such, I could sell pre-wrapped stuff like snacks, biscuits, sweets - in fact anything that did not require refrigeration. The lady who ran our local shop had had the shop for a long time without any problems at all. Mind you, we are talking about the same Council that used to pay in goods or vouchers for recycling cans, bottles and plastics - until last year, when they stopped it.
 
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