Refill Shops: What They Sell & Where to Find One Near You
Before the 1950s, wasting was frowned upon. Now, 70 years later, we’ve become a throwaway society (nearly 4.4 trillion pounds of waste end up in landfills every year) (1). But our actions are quickly catching up with us…
With the earth’s temperature nearly two degrees higher than it was just 150 years ago, more and more people are adopting a more eco-friendly mindset (2). And one of the lifestyle changes that they’re making is swapping supermarkets for refill shops.
In this article, you’ll learn what a refill shop is, what they sell, and how to shop at one, plus how to find a refill shop near you.
What Is a Refill Shop?
A refill shop, or zero-waste shop, is a small, independent shop that sells personal-care items and household products—without packaging. So instead of buying your shampoo, body soap, and dish soap in plastic containers, you bring your own container to refill.
Where supermarkets persuade you to buy what you don’t need (have you ever gone to Target?), refill shops help you think through your purchasing decisions so that you refill and take only what you need.
What Do Refill Shops Sell?
Photo Courtesy of Fill Up, Buttercup!
It depends on the refill shop you go to, but here is what the vast majority offer…
Shampoo
Conditioner
Body wash
Face wash
Witch hazel
Hand soap
Body lotion
Toothpaste tablets
Dish soap
Dishwasher pods
Laundry detergent
All-purpose cleaner
Window cleaner
Some even have dog shampoo!
In addition to refillable items, many refill shops offer plastic-free items like reusable cotton rounds, razors, deodorant, dish scrubbers, loofahs, produce bags, reusable coffee filters, and biodegradable doggy bags.
Some stores also stock dry-food items like flour, rice, beans, nuts and seeds, dried fruit, and spices. (FYI: Sprouts is a grocery store chain that offers bulk food and bulk spices.)
How to Shop at a Refill Shop
Refilling your toiletry and household necessities is simple. Follow these six steps…
Bring your own container, or purchase one. (If you’re purchasing grains, you can bring a cotton grains bag. Sprouts sells these in their bulk section for $.99 each.)
Weigh the empty container and write down the “tare” (empty) weight of the container. (This will be subtracted from the full weight of the container.)
Fill the container with what you need.
Weigh the container again.
Subtract the tare weight from the full weight.
Pay only for the weight of the product.
Photo Courtesy of Fill Up, Buttercup!
A few things to note. Refill shops typically offer glass or aluminum bottles with sprayers, pumps, or screw tops. However, if you decide to bring your own container, make sure that it’s clean and dry, and that you know the tare (empty) weight.
Sometimes the refill shop will fill and weigh your goods for you, which eliminates 99% of the work. Fill Up Buttercup is a prime example of this—making the overall refill shop experience that much more enjoyable.
Wondering what containers you can reuse from your home? Here are a few ideas: Jelly jars, marinara jars, mason jars, old bottles with the volume on the label (for liquids), food storage containers, or whatever container that last held the product you’re buying!
Refill Shops Near You
Wondering where the nearest refill shop is to you? Here are a few helpful resources:
Litterless: This zero-waste “Where to Grocery Shop” guide allows you to click the state you live in and scroll to your city so that you can see what your area offers.
Pantry Goods: This online retailer offers organic bulk foods. Simply order your food items in bulk, refill your jars at home, and compost the packaging. It costs just $6.00 to ship anywhere in the US.
Sprouts: If you’re wanting to start refilling your dry goods and spices, Sprouts is a fantastic place to go. Simply bring your reusable grains bag and refill what you need from their bulk food aisle. The cashier will weigh it for you.
Farmers Markets: Sure, farmer’s markets don’t typically offer refillable toiletry and household items, but they do offer produce without plastic packaging. To find a farmers market near you, click here, enter your location, and select “Farmers Market” in the directory drop-down. This will pull up all the Farmers’ Markets within 30 miles of you.
Google Search: Perhaps the simplest thing to do when it comes to finding a refill shop is to type in “[Your City, Your State] refill shops” into your search engine.
Is Refill Shopping Right for You?
There are a few questions to ask…
Is it sustainable for you?
Sure, it’s sustainable for the world, but is it sustainable for you and the stage of life that you’re in? There are dozens of other ways to help the environment without having to frequent refill shops. From volunteering to taking your own travel coffee mug to the coffee shop to reaching for plastic-free items at the grocery store. These are all positive actions you can take, and they may be more sustainable for you in the long run.
Is there a refill shop near you?
If you live off the beaten path, then there probably isn’t a refill shop near you. If a refill shop is two hours away, it’s probably worse off for the environment for you to drive there and back than it would be to simply go to your local supermarket and pick up your shampoo and conditioner there.
The Bottom Line
As I’m writing this, my one hope is that refill shops become the norm. What if, in 15 years, supermarkets valued the earth, too? And began offering bulk food and package-free, plastic-free options?
That would mean less waste produced, making our throwaway society restore its thrifty ways.
Every person that chooses to shop at a refill shop is one less person roaming the aisles of big-name supermarkets. One less person giving their hard-earned money to the Big Food, Big Beverage, and Big Chemical industries.
Have any comments, questions, or feedback? Take a second to drop a comment below!
Hi! I’m Caroline.
A big fan of camping under the stars. Leaving places better than I found them. And starting written conversations about how we can mend our relationship with Mother Earth. Follow along to stay in the conversation—and add your bit too.
