Looking for reliable and trustworthy zero-waste stores?
Well, we have great news for you!
Whether you prefer to shop in-store or online from the comfort of your home, there’s zero waste shop out there to suit your needs.
Which is why we reviewed 19 best zero-waste stores so that you can shop with complete peace of mind.
But first!
Let’s talk about HOW to shop zero waste, the right way:
How to Shop Like a Pro and Become a Zero-Waste Consumer
- Buy a few reusable shopping bags. These can be made from cotton, hemp, or even recycled plastic bags. Look out for special produce bags. These are lightweight re-usable netted bags used for fruit and vegetables if you have to weigh them in store.
- Choose to have your online order delivered without plastic bags and additional packaging. Or choose products that don’t come in plastic packaging at all. Some supermarkets have completely removed single-use plastic bags from online grocery orders. Shout-out to Asda and Tesco in the UK for leading the way!
- Store your shopping bags where you will need them like in the car, folded in your handbag or laptop bag. It’s no use buying a few pretty reusable cotton bags, only to leave them behind every time you go shopping!
- Check the finer details. Choose items without tags, strings, or labels.
- Reuse glass jars and take them with you. Use coffee jars, mayonnaise pots or pickle jars to refill at a zero waste shop.
- Get a few bins or crates to store your groceries on the way home.
- Create a zero waste shopping kit with a good supply of re-usable shopping bags so you’re always prepared for an unexpected trip to the shop. You can even keep one at work.
- Choose a zero-waste store that understands your needs so that you can shop comfortably and guilt-free.
- Buy enough or in bulk so that you don’t have to travel to the shops too often. Don’t make regular small orders online if the items are delivered by road over a distance, as this could lead to a high carbon-footprint which will contradict your zero waste shopping efforts.
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Ready to start your journey as a zero-waste consumer?
Unlike packing a few shopping bags for your next trip to the shops, taking a bigger step and evaluating your lifestyle takes courage!
You’ll have to take a good, hard look at your trash. Really, just look at what you are throwing away on a daily basis and decide if you can do without those things.
Convenience meals are usually the first to go. Start buying fresh and cooking fresh. Your body will thank you. Meal prep will help you get into the swing of things with a regular cooking routine.
Use less. Buy fewer, higher quality clothing items that will last you longer and replace items as they run out, this will help you ease into it.
Another point people often overlook when choosing a zero-waste lifestyle is this: the support and buy-in of everyone in the household. You have to take your family on the journey with you, but you can always start with leading by example!
Here’s our mini-resource pack:
Zero Waste Meal Planning: a really helpful ‘level-by-level’ guide to meal prepping for a zero waste lifestyle.
Guide to Ethical Clothing Brands: our guide to top affordable ethical clothing brands.
What to Compost: Everything You Need to Know: going zero waste doesn’t always mean eliminating all waste. Here’s what you can do with those unavoidable things like cardboard boxes, coffee grounds, paper, etc.
10 Creative Ways to be Zero Waste with Kids: Remember our point about taking the whole family with you on the zero waste journey? This excellent article makes it easy to manage with kids.
3 All Round Zero-Waste Stores
1. EcoSwap
EcoSwap is an online hub for consumers to find and compare eco-friendly and zero-waste alternatives for the products you use every day.
EcoSwap aims to make going zero-waste accessible and easy for everyone. To find an eco-friendly or zero-waste alternative, just search the item or category and EcoSwap will bring up a selection of alternatives for you to choose from.
Every vendor EcoSwap is carefully vetted to ensure that they’re a genuinely sustainable and responsible company or brand. They focus on products that are made to last, in ways that do not harm the environment. They choose products that are sourced responsibly and made from sustainable materials that are biodegradable, compostable, or fully reusable and recyclable.
EcoSwap products include items for your home, on the go, and for your pets and kids. Whatever you’re looking for, EcoSwap has a great selection of products to choose from!
Bonus: If you’re not sure what alternatives are available or what the best options are, EcoSwap lets you search by what you’re replacing and they will show you a variety of suitable alternatives!
Location: Online, with vendors internationally
2. Loop
Loop is an online zero-waste store for groceries, health, personal care, household, and cleaning essentials.
They deliver plastic-free, with minimal packaging. All their products are packaged in plastic-free, reusable, refillable containers that they loan you (for a refundable deposit) and then collect to clean and reuse when you’re done!
Loop is available through Walgreens, Kroger, and other stores in all contiguous US states (excluding Alaska and Hawaii) in the UK, Canada, Ulta Beauty, and select stores in France and Japan. They’re also expanding into Australia and more countries from 2024.
Bonus: Loop stocks many regular brands – minus the packaging! So if you really love a certain product and don’t want to give it up as you go zero-waste, Loop may just have it.
Location: Trenton, New Jersey
3. Earth Hero
Earth Hero is an online marketplace for eco-friendly products for everything other than food and perishables. They have everything from clothing and home goods to health and beauty products, electronics, and camping gear.
All their products are from brands that are legitimately sustainable and ethical, and they use a simple key of symbols to indicate the sustainability features of each item.
Earth Hero ships to all US states, and selected items to Canada. They’re working on international shipping, which will be available in the near future.
Bonus: You can ‘shop by values’ to find items that are specifically zero-waste!
Location: Louisville, Colorado
3 Online Zero-Waste Grocery Stores
1. Zero
Zero is an online, fully zero-waste grocery store that sells all your essential and luxury groceries, from plant-based, in-season, veggies to meat, eggs, baked goods, and pasta, and other pantry items.
Their aim is to help customers become 90% plastic-free and offer free, plastic-free delivery and a take-back service for empty containers, to people within their delivery zones.
Bonus: Zero offers great discounts and perks when you become a member!
Location: Los Angeles and San Francisco, USA
2. Precycle
Precycle is a zero-waste grocery store based in Brooklyn, New York. They have a brick and mortar store, and an online ordering system for pick up or delivery.
Precycle stocks a large selection of dry goods, like seeds, nuts, grains, legumes, pastas, flour, spices, dried fruit, spices and loose-leaf tea. They also stock oils, vinegars, preserves and pickles, and perishable items cold items like eggs, olives and tofu.
They’re zero-waste and plastic-free, selling refills for your own containers (by weight) or goods bought online are sold naked, or packaged in paper or glass.
Bonus: Precycle has a great selection of snacks for anyone with a sweet (but healthy) tooth!
Location: Brooklyn, New York, USA
3. Nada
Based in East Vancouver, Nada offers every household and grocery item you will ever need – completely packaging and plastic-free.
They carry all the essentials, but with a focus on healthy, natural and plant-based goods that have been sustainably sourced. Nada offers in-store shopping, order and pick-up, or delivery to your home.
Use your own containers, or put down small deposit to use of theirs and return it later. They offer free delivery to moist areas in Vancouver.
Bonus: Nada has a great selection of vegan and vegetarian options, and a great selection of baby goods too!
Location: Vancouver, BC
3 Offline Zero-Waste Grocery Stores
1. Sea No Waste (UK)
Sea No Waste is a zero waste store in Arbroath with a delightful range of pantry staples such as pasta, grains, cereals, herbs and spices, dried fruit and nuts.
Customers can bring in their own jars or bags and simply refill them with as much as they need in a guilt-free, plastic-free space.
Bonus: We LOVE their Who Gives a Crap Toilet Paper: a toilet paper made from 100% recycled paper and is ink, dye and scent-free. 50% of profits on this quirky toilet paper go towards improving sanitation in developing countries.
Location: Angus, Scotland. United Kingdom.
2. Roots Zero-Waste Market (US)
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You really don’t need to shop at a large chain supermarket if you live close to Roots Zero-Waste Market because they have everything you need at this friendly neighbourhood grocery store.
They’re perfectly suited for bulk buying, in fact, it’s what they’re known for. Customers can bring their own bags and containers and fill up on grains, cereals, household products, and much more.
They are not exclusively vegan like many stores on this list, so you will see locally sourced eggs, dairy and meat products here.
Bonus: their cafe offers freshly roasted coffee, sodas, wine and beer, so you can sip while you shop!
Location: Garden City, Idaho. United States.
3. The Source Bulk Foods (UK)
This is a full on plastic-free, zero waste grocery store! One can quite easily shop for everything from staples to luxuries and everything in between.
The shop is family-run, with a team of nutrition specialists who provide input into strategy and meal planning.
The product range at The Source Bulk Foods includes everyday groceries such as beans, pulses, cereals, pastas, baking ingredients, fruits and nuts.
Bonus: Their products are listed on the website with full nutritional information, storage instructions, and cooking methods – making it an excellence resource!
Location: London, England. United Kingdom.
“You cannot get through a single day without having an impact on the world around you. What you do makes a difference and you have to decide what kind of a difference you want to make”.
Jane Goodall
4 Zero-Waste Clothing Stores
1. All The Wild Roses
All the Wild Roses is an Australian brand that makes a wide selection of bohemian and vintage-inspired women’s clothing. They use upcycled natural, biodegradable fabrics like cotton, linen, and silk.
Their clothes are made to last, timeless designs and they have something for everyone, from cute summer tops to a selection of dresses that are maternity and breastfeeding friendly.
All the Wild Roses is a Certified B Corp and they ship plastic-free and carbon-neutral worldwide.
Bonus: All the Wild Roses offers a beautifully curated vintage collection of pieces that have been expertly restored by hand. They mend, rework embroidery, and redye items to create pieces that are truly one of a kind!
Location: Sydney, Australia
2. Rescue Plastics Active Wear
Rescue Plastics is a zero-waste clothing brand that makes high-quality active wear out of recycled plastic products.
Their leggings, sports bras and athleisure sets are all made from plastic waste that has been removed from the environment, and recycled fabrics from their take-back service.
In addition to tackling the plastic waste problem and developing a circular business model, Rescue Plastics manufactures using fair-labour practices, in a LEED-certified facility.
Bonus: Rescue Plastics offer a take back system so can return your previously purchased clothing to be recycled into new pieces for a credit towards your next purchase.
Location: Chicago, Illinois
3. Ecoalf
Ecoalf is a Spanish brand that makes luxury jackets, coats, shoes, and accessories out of innovative materials that are made primarily from recovered waste.
They recover discarded plastics, mainly bottles and fishing nets from the ocean, coffee grounds, cotton, used car tires, and waste fabrics to turn into high-quality fabrics and products.
They’re also a Certified B Corp, dedicated to sustainable, ethical, and socially responsible business practices.
Bonus: Ecoalf’s has a great kid’s range too!
Location: Madrid, Spain (brick-and-mortar internationally, but you can buy online from Farfetch)
4. E.L.V Denim
E.L.V. Denim creates unique denim jeans, jackets, shorts, and jumpsuits from vintage jeans that have been recovered, cleaned, mended, and restored.
They’re then taken apart and remade into unique designs, that are timeless and gender-neutral – “designed to be as unique as the person wearing them”.
E.L.V. Denim ‘s process is focused on limiting their carbon footprint, reducing waste, and preventing textile waste. They collect jeans from warehouses around the UK but all their other operations are done locally, in East London.
Bonus: E.L.V Denim offers a made-to-order service for the perfect fit – order any style from their core collection in your size and colorway and it will be ready in just 7 days!
Location: East London, UK
6 Online Home, Bath and Body Zero-Waste Stores
1. Zerovana
Operating out of Dallas, Texas, Zerovana is a small family-owned, online, zero waste store, run by a young couple and their adorable pup. They offer an incredibly wide selection of goods such as shopping totes, kitchen and dinnerware, bath and beauty products, eco friendly cleaning solutions and even stationery.
Bonus: They sell fabulous zero waste kits and gift sets with re-usable shopping bags, jars, beeswax food wraps and other grocery shopping bags.
Location: Dallas, Texas. United States
2. Wild Minimalist
New moms will love Wild Minimalist. Their extensive range covers plastic-free kitchen, bath and beauty products but it was their mama & child range that really stood out for us.
Baby products in general are full of plastics, micro-fibres and unnecessary chemicals. Which is why it’s so helpful to find a good source of eco friendly products from a trusted, zero waste store. The baby range includes stainless steel bottles, bamboo utensils, diaper salves, sanitary products and other items.
Bonus: They also sell gift cards to the value of between $25 – $200.
Location: San Anselmo, California. United States.
3. The Kind Store
‘We encourage you to buy less but we want you to buy better’ – what a perfect way to sum up what they’re all about.
The Kind Store is quite possibly one of the most responsible and trustworthy zero waste shops out there because each product in their online store is tried and tested by them.
Their range is classified into collections such as Vegan, Plastic-Free, Organic, Fair Trade, Compostable, Zero Waste, and others.
Bonus: You have to try their small but amazing collection of vegan snacks and treats such as cacao nibs, dark chocolate, and Matcha Powder.
Location: Essex, England. United Kingdom.
Some 18 billion pounds of plastic waste flows into the oceans every year from coastal regions.
National Geographic: Facts About Plastic Pollution
4. The Waste Less Shop
We simply adore the travel items at The Waste Less Shop! They stock everything an eco conscious traveller would appreciate, such as stainless steel travel mugs, cotton totes, soap tins and reusable cutlery sets.
You should definitely pay this shop a visit for their bulk refillable household cleaning products which you can simply fill up in an old bottle.
Bonus: Their self-care kit is one of the best we’ve seen and makes a fantastic gift for an eco conscious partner or as way to introduce someone to the plastic-free lifestyle.
Location: Manhattan Beach, California. United States.
5. The Refill Shoppe
The Refill Shoppe sells refillable, vegan bath, body, and beauty products, as well as essential oils and home cleaning products.
Their product range is a unique mix of interesting items, from everyday essentials to things like yoga mat sprays and natural massage oils.
The Refill Shoppe Certified B Corp and members of 1 for the Planet, which show their dedication to ethical, sustainable, and socially responsible practices.
In terms of their zero waste efforts, they offer refills and a take-back service for refill pouches, ship in minimal, reused packaging, that can be reused again. Many of their boxes are recycled and home compostable, and they supply recycled envelopes to send your containers back for refilling.
Bonus: All their liquid products are available in a customized blend of scents. Choose from six different scents and choose how you want them blended for your unique preference!
Location: Ventura, California (ships to all USPS locations)
6. Package Free Shop
Package Free is a completely zero-waste store, that aims to make living a zero-waste lifestyle accessible, simple, and easy for everyone.
They sell a great range of natural, eco-friendly, and zero-waste home, bath, and beauty products.
All their packaging is minimal, recyclable, or reusable, and they ship plastic-free, in 100% recyclable and 100% compostable packaging!
In addition to their zero-waste focus, they also offset carbon for their shipping, reduce waste and methane emissions and contribute to charitable organizations that employ people preserving vital ecosystems around the world.
Bonus: Package Free stocks a great selection of zero-waste kits, for everything from starter packs to zero-waste shaving kits!
Location: New York, NY, and Online
Are You Ready to Go Zero-Waste?
You will know when you’re ready to go zero waste when you notice these things:
- You begin to notice the plastic. Everywhere.
- You realise how much daily plastic waste you accumulate from doing very little.
- Packaging on fresh produce just looks unnecessary.
- You’re regularly carrying a few groceries in-hand instead of saying yes to yet another plastic bag at the grocery store.
- You start opting for items with recyclable packaging, or no packaging at all.
- Disposable coffee cups and bottled water start to look like waste, to you.
- You start searching online for zero waste stores near you.
- You’ve been nodding to yourself all the way down this list.
- Congrats! You’re absolutely hooked on zero waste shopping! Pay a visit to one of the offline stores we mentioned above, or place a regular order on one of the online stores instead.
Into zero-waste cooking? You might enjoy our Zero Waste Cooking Guide.
In Conclusion
Zero-waste stores are growing in their diversity and are entering mainstream society, so expect more of these shops to pop up with even more accessible options.
When it comes to choosing where to shop from, it really boils down to personal choice. Think about your own routine, shopping habits, and willingness to experiment (this is important if you want to discover new zero-waste stores).
And most importantly, don’t be afraid to try a new zero-waste store, who knows, you might discover the perfect place for you.
To end off this guide, we’ll leave you with our favourites:
- Wild Minimalist for the excellent Mama & Baby range.
- The Kind Store for testing every product before putting it on the shelf.
- The Source Bulk Foods for their accessible and wide variety of groceries.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a zero waste store?
Zero waste stores supply goods without the excess packaging that you see in regular shops, where packaging is often plastic and not needed at all. Zero waste shops utilize as little packaging as possible and use reusable, compostable or recyclable packing if packaging is essential.
How to shop zero waste?
Zero waste shopping means finding stores that use less packaging or opting for the less packaging when you buy from a regular store e.g. taking reusable bags and not using single use plastic bags, choosing fresh produce that is not wrapped in plastic, choosing products in paper or cardboard rather than plastic.
What are the best zero waste stores?
Use your own bags and containers, look for items that have as little packaging as possible, look for items in reusable, recyclable or compostable packaging, buy things you will use more than once and buy in bulk where possible.
Resources:
10 steps for a ‘zero waste’ shopping routine: https://www.treehugger.com/green-home/10-steps-zero-waste-shopping-routine.html
Zero Waste Grocery Guide: https://www.litterless.com/wheretoshop
These are the top zero waste grocery stores in London: https://pebblemag.com/magazine/living/top-zero-waste-grocery-stores-in-london
5 Zero waste shops for all your plastic free needs: https://www.goingzerowaste.com/blog/3-zero-waste-shops-for-all-your-plastic-free-needs
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a zero waste store?
Zero waste stores supply goods without the excess packaging that you see in regular shops, where packaging is often plastic and not needed at all. Zero waste shops utilize as little packaging as possible and use reusable, compostable or recyclable packing if packaging is essential.
How to shop zero waste?
Zero waste shopping means finding stores that use less packaging or opting for the less packaging when you buy from a regular store e.g. taking reusable bags and not using single use plastic bags, choosing fresh produce that is not wrapped in plastic, choosing products in paper or cardboard rather than plastic.
What are the best zero waste stores?
Use your own bags and containers, look for items that have as little packaging as possible, look for items in reusable, recyclable or compostable packaging, buy things you will use more than once and buy in bulk where possible.
