A new store has opened its doors in Newark, and is the first of its kind for the market town. Newark Eco Refill is a recent addition to Carter Gate and offers a range of products that are more sustainable and kinder on the environment.
Owner Ruth Woodhall moved the business from a stall on the market place into the shop unit earlier this year, officially opening on July 19. The large location means that shoppers could do almost their entire weekly shop at the business, from dry food and vinegars, to household cleaning supplies and bathroom products.
The idea of the store is to offer people an alternative way of shopping where customers do not have to feel guilty about all of the packaging they get on products from supermarkets. Customers can buy refillable containers at the store or bring their own, and fill them with the products they need, which are then weighed.
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Ruth explained that "our major focus is the reduction of plastic and packaging". She said: "We are trying to provide as many of the things that people need.
"Then I also take into account what people are asking for, so we have cooking oil and vinegar and salts and then what we were selling before was all of the house hold cleaning products. Then since being here we have started all the shampoos and body products, so that people can do most of their shop without plastic packaging."
When asked about the response from the community about the store, Ruth said: "It's been really really positive. Everybody who comes here comes through the door and goes this is exactly what Newark needs, or the other one is I didn't know you were here.
"We get new people coming in every day, and we have quite a lot of regular customers now. Some of them came with us from the market stall we had before."
Newark Eco-Refill was originally set up by a lady named Rachel, but Ruth decided to take on the business after she was no longer able to continue. Ruth said: "At about the same time that Naz and I were thinking about opening up this kind of shop, Rachel set up Newark Eco-Refill on the market and we stopped because we thought it was a small town and two businesses that similar is not going to work.
"After a while Rachel decided that she couldn't do it any longer and she decided she wanted someone to take over the stall. We picked up and ran with it after Rachel stepped down."
When asked she decided to create a business based on sustainable products, Ruth said: "I think I like most people think we need to live more sustainably and I think like other people. I saw that these shops existed elsewhere and we didn't have any in Newark and I thought that we should have one."
At the moment a lot of Ruth's customers are preparing their Christmas cakes. She said: "Everyone is coming in and buying the dried fruit for the cakes and they can buy exactly what they need rather than have excess."
Ruth also restocks the store sustainably to further minimise waste, in addition to the hundreds of pieces of packaging she helps her customers save. She explained that every time she buys 40 litres of something for the store, when that is sold, it usually means 40 or 80 pieces of packaging have been saved.
She said: "The only thing that goes in my recycling bin is tin cans and some cardboard." Ruth also says she is really thankful to her family, friends, and customers who have helped her set up the store and supported the business.
Residents in the town are thrilled about the arrival of the store, and enjoy having a more sustainable option for products on their doorstep. Newark resident, Michael Creamer, 60, said: "I think it's wonderful.
"I think the idea that people can go and buy any amount of stuff, as they sell it by the gram rather than the bag." Collingham resident Clare Storr, 48, said she hasn't been to the store yet but looks forward to trying it.
She said: "I love the idea of reusing my old containers instead of wasting so much plastic packaging. It's usually cheaper to pay for just the items rather than new packaging every time, and you can get just the amount of items you need so you don't waste anything."
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