Shopper shares photo of store's unique approach to garbage collection: 'This is awesome'

While packaging is a key factor in how brands deliver goods to consumers, one local zero-waste store is not at all concerned with product presentation. An impressed customer snapped a picture of the store's shelves and shared it on the "r/ZeroWaste" subreddit. 

"Local shop reuses containers to sell other goods," the original poster described, attaching a photo of a shelf containing products in an assortment of jars, bottles, and containers.

"Grab 'N' Go Refills," a sign posted on the shelf read, with an arrow pointing down at the collection of uniquely packaged refill products. The reused packaging includes used beverage bottles, old medication bottles, used spray bottles, and even used yogurt containers — all presumably thoroughly washed and dried before reusing.

Repurposing containers and packaging is an excellent way to give these items a second life while reducing the amount of waste your household produces. One creative consumer reused the clear packaging that bedsheets come in to store charging cables and other electronic items. Another resourceful consumer reused the large plastic packaging that paper towels often come in as a plastic bag for a trash bin.

You can save money by using what you already have, rather than buying new.

Some organizations will also take your old, unwanted items in exchange for store credit or even cash, helping you offload your belongings while contributing to a circular economy that promotes the reuse and regeneration of products and materials for as long as possible.

One commenter noted that while it is commendable to embody zero-waste principles, this could be problematic because containers that once held specific foods might now contain other types of food.

"​​For example, reusing containers that held one kind of food-stuff item like coconut oil, and reusing it to hold molasses and then selling that molasses-filled coconut oil container in a store for cash," they explained.

The original poster clarified that none of the products on the shelves are food products. The reused packaging is only for selling personal goods, like shampoo or cleaning products. In response, the original commenter shared they'd be "okay with that sort of thing."

Buying household necessities from places like zero-waste or bulk supply stores can help reduce single-use plastics, which often end up in landfills after a product's lifecycle.

Which of these factors would most effectively motivate you to recycle old clothes and electronics? Giving me money back 💰 Letting me trade for new stuff 👕 Making it as easy as possible ⚡ Keeping my stuff out of landfills 🗑️ Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

These kinds of stores offer great bang for your buck, as you only pay for the product itself and not the packaging it comes in. This means that a store will "tare" your jar, subtracting the jar's weight, so that your final price is purely for the product.

"This is awesome!" one commenter exclaimed.

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