Plastic Free July: Food Shopping

It’s Plastic Free July and sustainability expert, Nicola Turner from Mainstream Green, has given us some great tips for reducing plastic waste when it comes to your grocery shop. One easy way to start is by going local and supporting small businesses. 

Where to shop 

When it comes to food shopping and supplies, there are many great packaging-free stores out there run by really passionate people who have often done the research for you – and their prices will often stack up well. 

With our economy still feeling the affects of lockdown, there is no better time to shop small and shop local. Take a look at these great places to get started:

• Read through the regional shopping guide compiled by The Rubbish Trip.
• Join and get inspired by the Zero Waste in NZ Facebook page
• Try shopping at a bulk store, even if it is just for your staples that you use a lot of. You will find many of them offer home delivery, saving you even more time.
• Make an outing of it by heading to the local farmers market or look for road-side stalls – the kids can have a conversation with the growers and it is often easier to buy things packaging-free, too. 

Plastic free inspo is just a click away

You’ll also find heaps of great suggestions on the Plastic Free July Aotearoa Facebook page, so take a look if you need some more easy ways to reduce how much plastic waste your household generates.

After spending the first 15 years of her career working in the global consumer goods industry, Nicola’s life was set on a different trajectory with a personal quest to live more simply and sustainably. Bringing together her understanding of human behaviour and her sustainability experience, Nic founded Mainstream Green as a Social Enterprise to inspire and create behaviour change. She now travels around New Zealand engaging businesses, councils and individuals about mindful consumption. It’s all about being more conscious of how we consume and the waste we create.ided. Many local councils even offer free courses on how to get started.