9 min read
Zero-Waste Shops In London To Help You Refill In 2023
Looking for the best zero-waste shops in London? Here are over 30 of the best plastic-free and refill shops right across the capital.
Reducing the amount of plastic and packaging that flows into our homes is a challenge. Especially so when it comes to food shopping.
Thankfully, more and more refill shops are popping up – helping customers to ditch single-use plastic by enabling them to refill their own reusable containers.
However, most zero-waste shops aren’t immune to the challenging economic climate. Refill shops up and down the country are having a hard time due to the cost of living crisis.
In London, the Tooting-based zero-waste shop BYO closed its doors in December 2022, citing reduced customer numbers making the business unsustainable. Meanwhile, Fin & Earth in Hackney closed its doors in April 2022 due to changing customer habits. And Notting Hill’s Liberte Cherie closed in June 2022.
With shops up and down the country having to close their doors, it’s never been more important to support local zero-waste shops where we can.
The Best Zero-Waste Shops In London
To help support these important independent businesses doing their bit for both people and the planet, I wanted to shine a light on them. Here are my top zero-waste shops in London so you can find your local shop – whether you are a London local or visiting the capital and need to stock up on supplies during your stay.
BYGRAM
Parson’s Green
BYGRAM is an independent zero-waste shop in Parsons Green that focuses on organic produce. The store also prioritises small local makers and businesses with a sustainable mindset and an ethical approach to living.
All of its products are available by the gram (hence the name) – allowing you to only have to buy exactly what you need from BYGRAM’s extensive selection of bulk foods and spices.
For those local to the area, free delivery is available on orders over £20. And for those that live further away, BYGRAM offers a nationwide delivery service.
Find BYGRAM at 795 Fulham Road, Parsons Green, London, SW6 5HD.
Gather
Peckham
Gather is an award-winning London zero-waste shop helping locals to ditch single-use plastic, one refill at a time.
From laundry liquid and body wash to porridge, peanut butter, and even wine, Gather has it. You’ll also find pantry essentials in tins and jars and lots of easy eco-swaps for your home and on the go.
As a social enterprise, putting purpose before profit. Half of Gather’s profits go towards protecting the planet through charity donations, and community projects that encourage people to live a little greener.
Find Gather at 121 Bellenden Road, Peckham, London, SE15 4QY.
Get Loose
Hackney
Get Loose is a zero-waste shop founded to bring the people of Hackney fairly priced, high quality, tasty, ethical food made by small producers where possible.
Find all sorts of zero-waste supplies. From cereals to pasta, tins and jars, vegan products, cleaning products and more.
This social enterprise uses its profits to fund community-based waste-saving projects. It’s also working to bring more reuse into its supply chain.
Find Get Loose at Hackney City Farm, 1a Goldsmiths Row, London, E2 8QA.
Greener Habits
Walthamstow
Greener Habits is a vegan, plastic-free and sustainable home essentials shop located in Walthamstow that chooses planet, people and animals over profit.
Starting out online, this zero-waste shop in London’s Walthamstow area now offers a huge range of packaging-free food products. This includes dried foods such as pasta, rice, beans, lentils, herbs and spices, sourced from ethical producers and suppliers.
Plastic-conscious shoppers can also buy refills of oils, vinegar, oat milk, kombucha, peanut butter and cleaning products.
Find Greener Habits at 35 St James Street, Walthamstow, London, E17 7FY.
Harmless
Crouch End
Harmless is a zero-waste shop based in the London borough of Haringey.
Here you’ll find refill options across a wide range of dried kitchen staples, such as pasta, polenta, rice, tea, instant coffee, and a whole lot more.
As well as dried food, you can also find frozen vegan produce, as well as loose frozen vegetables. There’s an oat milk machine which dispenses cold Minor Figures barista oat milk. You can even grind your own peanut butter and coffee.
Find Harmless at 79 Tottenham Lane, Crouch End, London N8 9BE
Kilo
Islington
Kilo source and sell products in bulk or without disposable packaging. Where possible, products come from local producers or fair-trade suppliers.
As well as the usual dried kitchen staples, you can also find an array of products to make plastic-free living easier. Find frozen products, toiletries, confectionery, pet products, free-from products, zero-waste gifts and more.
Shop instore, or use the Kilo app to make shopping fast and easy,
Find Kilo at 518 Holloway Road, London, N7 6JD
Naked Larder
Herne Hill
A different approach to zero-waste shopping, this London store operates on a click-and-collect basis only.
Place your order online at Naked Larder then collect it at the pre-arranged time with your own reusable containers. Each collection takes place monthly, and you can order every month or less frequently if preferable.
Naked Larder provides a range of grains, beans and pulses, nuts, dried fruit, flours, pasta, cereals, eco-friendly cleaning product refills, body care products and more. Removing the overheads associated with running a shop helps reduce the amount you pay for your produce. As such, it’s a great way to reduce plastic packaging without increasing the cost of your grocery bills.
Find Naked Larder at 78 Herne Hill, London SE24 9QP.
Planet Organic
Various stores
Planet Organic, the UK’s first fully certified organic supermarket, has bulk zero-waste and refill options in its eleven shops across London.
Here you can choose from over 70 organic whole foods and eco-friendly cleaning products as part of its Unpackaged range. This includes cereals, grains and pulses and chocolate, as well as dried fruit, nuts and seeds.
Find Unpackaged at Planet Organic at:
64 Essex Road, Islington, London, N1 8LR
111/117 Muswell Hill Road, Muswell Hill, London, N10 3HS
117 – 121 Salusbury Road, London, NW6 6RG
42 Westbourne Grove, London, W2 5SH
17-21 High Street, Ealing, London, W5 5DB
201 Chiswick High Road, London, W4 2DR
186 – 188 Balham High Road, London, SW12 9BP
The Exchange Building, 132 Commercial Street, London, E1 6NG
153 Tower Bridge Road, London, SE1 3LW
30 Broadway Market, London, E8 4QJ
6 Hampstead High Street, London, NW3 1PR
The Refill Larder
Teddington
The Refill Larder sell packaging-free loose organic food, local produce, cleaning and bathroom refill products and eco-friendly household items in Teddington.
The dry goods section includes organic kitchen essentials such as rice, coffee, pasta, cereals, grains, and nuts. Liquid refills include olive oil, maple syrup, ketchup and more.
There is also a dedicated bathroom section selling cruelty-free and vegan shampoos, soaps, deodorants and hand soap.
The Refill Larder handily offers a home delivery service (with a minimum spend of £15) within a three-mile radius of Teddington. A click-and-collect service is also available, as is nationwide postage in its online zero-waste shop.
Find The Refill Larder at 18 High Street, Teddington, London, TW11 8EW.
Re:Store
Hackney
Re:Store is a plastic-free purveyor of bulk foods. Here you can pick up an array of zero-waste pantry staples, including rice and pasta, beans and lentils, cereals and more.
As well as food, you can also find refills for hair and beauty and cleaning products, as well as zero-waste products such as plastic-free toilet paper.
Find Re:Store at Hackney Downs Studios, 17 Amhurst Terrace, Hackney, London, E8 2BT.
The Source
Various stores
Offering 100% plastic-free shopping, The Source is a zero-waste bulk food and lifestyle store with six shops spread across London.
With over 500 bulk foods and sustainable personal and household products, it’s a one-stop shop for all things refill and plastic-free.
For added convenience, The Source offers a handy click-and-collect service. And if you don’t live in London, and don’t have a zero-waste shop near you, then it’s worth knowing that The Source offers nationwide delivery on all of its products.
Find The Source at:
99 St John’s Road, Battersea, London SW11 1QY
24 Turnham Green Terrace, Chiswick, London W4 1QP
16 The Quadrant, Richmond TW9 1BP
135 Putney High St, London SW15 1SU
276 West End Lane, West Hampstead, London NW6 1LJ
3 The Broadway, Crouch End, London N8 8DU
SWOP Bulk Market
Lee Green
SWOP Bulk Market – short for Shop Without Packaging – sells household staples and seasonal treats without packaging. From packaging-free fruit, vegetables and bread and patisserie products, to oat milk refills, dried bulk foods, sweet treats, cleaning products, and more.
All of its products are ethically sourced, organic and vegetarian or vegan. What’s more, owners Claire and Jess say if they don’t stock the product you are after, request it and they’ll do their best to source it. That’s service for you!
Find Swop at 7 Burnt Ash Road, Lee Green, London SE12 8RG.
Other Zero-Waste & Refill Shop Options In London
Whilst you wouldn’t consider the following shops as zero-waste shops, many big-name shops in London now offer refills of some products in-store. This includes the following:
The Body Shop
The Body Shop now offers refills on its haircare, shower gel and hand wash products. Here you can top up on your favourite Body Shop products whilst helping to reduce plastic waste.
With 29 Body Shop stores offering refill stations across London – from Staines to Sutton – there are too many to list here. Instead, use the refill store locator to find your nearest shop.
Holland & Barrett
Holland & Barrett has opened up a zero-waste refill station at its Angel Islington store. Here you can top up on everyday food essentials, all packaging free.
Find the store at Holland & Barrett, 21-22 Upper Street, Islington, London N1 0PQ
Marks & Spencer
Marks & Spencer has introduced a zero-waste and refill section in several M&S stores up and down the country. In London, this can be found in Stratford City.
Here you can find 60 lines of refillable groceries – including rice, pasta, nuts, cereal, and frozen fruit. There is also a range of packaging-free bake-at-home items, such as all-butter croissants and other tasty treats.
Find the store at M&S, Montfichet Road Unit D3, Westfield Stratford City, Westfield Shopping Centre, London E20 1EH.
Got any more favourite zero-waste shops in London? Do share them with me and I’ll be sure to update this list. Do also check out my guide to zero-waste shops in Edinburgh and Glasgow. I’m also busy beavering away on more city guides. Watch this space!