Zero Waste January Trends | Eden Farm Hulleys

January brings lots of trends to the forefront of British consciousness – from fitness and well-being to Veganuary. Another trend that is on the rise is that of zero-waste shopping – where people try to reduce the amount of waste they produce by changing their buying habits. 

For a retailer, this is both an opportunity to win more sales and create a more responsible future-facing policy in your own shop. Waste isn’t just a consumer concern – the whole country has a Net Zero 2050 target that everyone has to do their part in. 

Of course, it’s not always practical to practice zero waste. The best option is to make changes that allow for reduced waste, whether that’s in what you supply to your customers or your own practices. Here are just a few ideas to help you head towards zero waste in 2023. 

Control your temperatures
If you’ve got fridges and freezers in your shop, the temperature you keep them at will have an energy implication. If a unit has to work ‘too hard’ due to overfilling or improper placement, it will consume more energy and therefore be less ‘green’. Take a look at our article on proper storage conditions to learn more about how to save energy when storing food for sale. 

Priortise recyclables
When buying products, look at the packaging and make assessments about both your own and your customer’s chances to recycle the waste. For example, if ordering a multipack, you’ll have first to recycle the outer packaging and then customers, once purchased, will have to recycle the end-products container. Make smart choices by reducing single-use plastics and focusing on cardboard and other eco-friendly containers. 

Readdress your supply chain
It may seem obvious, but the further afield your products come from, the more impact your orders have on the environment. Shop with Eden Farm Hulleys and we’ll deliver from our local depots straight to your store. Better yet, you can condense your suppliers down by accessing the wider Kitwave PLC group, so you can source all of your frozen, fresh, chilled and ambient foods from us. One point of supply means fewer complexities in your chain and a less wasteful ordering process. 

Stock more soft serve
If you’ve got the capacity to offer soft serve, it’s a great way to provide zero-waste ice cream to customers. Providing ice cream cones means they can, quite literally, eat the packaging! The alternative is to offer take-home tubs and single-wrapped ice creams, so if you have to default to those try to select brands that use recyclable materials.