In the spirit of Plastic Free July, we spoke with the Manager, Luke Flesher, of the new plastic-free grocery store in Queenscliff, Sydney. No Plastic Fruit and Vegetables is owned by Alex Grant, long-time Northern Beaches local and small business owner. This is both Luke and Alex's first venture in the world of fruit & veg, and so far they have achieved zero plastic! The market serves residents of Queenscliff, Freshwater, Manly and surrounding suburbs with organic, locally-sourced fresh fruit and vegetables, bread, dairy and gourmet produce, as well as environmentally-responsible household items. We spoke to Luke who gave us all the answers, describing how they do it, why they do it and the complications they face.
How do you do it?
Our overarching principle is NO PLASTIC in ANY of our products' packaging. So not just no plastic bags in store - we simply won't stock a product if it is in a plastic bottle/container, has a plastic lid or nozzle, or even carries a plastic label. We're also working with our suppliers to limit or eliminate the amount of plastic used in their products' delivery to us. An example of this would be our bread delivery - we get fantastic organic, vegan-friendly sourdough from Bowan Island Bakery delivered every day, which normally comes on the conventional bread tray covered in paper and then wrapped in a big, blue, plastic sheet. They've been very accommodating and at our request do not use the plastic sheet in our deliveries.
In terms of fruit & veg, our goal is to be 100% organic. As we're both new to the industry, we're still making contacts with organic suppliers and hope to be able to go fully organic soon, and have around a 60-40 split of organic/non-organic at the moment.
Part of being sustainable also involves lowering our products' food miles, so we're still learning how to best go about that. There is the Freshwater Community Garden literally 50m around the corner, and we're in talks with locals to sell their overrun produce like herbs and veggies - I think that would have to be one of the shortest retail trade routes in the world!
We also stock yoghurt and milk, olives and olive products, spreads, chutneys, coffee, sugar, eggs and other groceries. These are organic by preference, and as we're conscious of being affordable, we range regular varieties as well. Of course, they're all in non-plastic containers.
Why do you do it?
The store is Alex's brainchild and passion. It might sound like a cliche, but this has literally all come about by him deciding to take a stand against the amount of plastic pollution everywhere around us. He is a keen swimmer and fisherman and has seen first hand the effect plastic pollution has on the marine environment. But it's not just that - take a look at gutters and drains around suburbs everywhere, and anyone can see how much plastic litters our neighbourhoods. By opening a store that uses no plastic, he's able to help other individuals change their shopping habits and make a difference.
I'm helping with execution. With a digital marketing background, I've worked on the store's branding, website, social media, press, and now day-to-day running of the store. It fits in quite well with my study and future ambitions for wildlife conservation and education.
Are there any complications in being plastic-free, if so, what are they?
There are some very good quality products that are sustainably produced that we'd love to stock but can't, because plastic is used in its packaging. It's a shame, but we're sticking to our guns. Cheese is proving quite difficult, as the vast majority is wrapped in plastic, so we're looking at wax or paper wrapped alternative.
We're overcoming some of the challenges by buying some products in bulk - Rapadura sugar for example - and re-packaging it in paper bags here in the store. We may even concede plastic lining on a large sack if it means eliminating dozens of single-use plastic bags it would have otherwise been packaged in.
Do you have any tips on living sustainably for the 1MW community?
As individuals, it's all about making small but meaningful changes. Supermarkets offer a lot of choice in terms of brands and products, but when it comes to packaging, there is barely any choice at all.
We've chosen to support companies that use sustainable or plastic-alternative packaging that can be just as easily reused or recycled. The 1MW community can do the same, where they can.
Trying to limit "single-use" plastic is a big one. Plastic that has a single use - a wrapper, nozzle, lid, seal, packaging window or cap - is probably the worst offender, because it really has nothing else to offer. If it's not recycled (or recyclable), it quite literally has a future only in landfill or pollution.
What are the reactions from the community around you?
We thought public attitude might have been mixed or even a little defeatist, but I can honestly say we've been blown away by the messages of support we've received on Facebook and in-store. People get it, they really do. And now we're giving them a viable alternative in their own suburb, they're supporting us. And we're very thankful for that!
As for the future, it's only very, very early days (in our second week), but my gut tells me there's a larger future in store for the No Plastic name. One thing's for sure from people's reactions - Queenscliff and Sydney's northern beaches isn't the only spot that would identify with and support this kind of store
This is a great example of how people can make a difference. These sorts of smaller sustainable businesses are popping up more and more and truly do make a difference. This highlights that one person can make change and help to achieve a more sustainable world.
No Plastic Fruit and Vegetables is located at 94 Crown Road, Queenscliff Manly, New South Wales, Australia.
Click here for the Facebook page for No Plastic Fruit & Vegetables