Co-op opens new £3m eco-friendly concept store

Supermarkets are finally be investing in greener lifestyles as the Central England Co-op opens a brand new £3m eco-friendly concept store.

The 11,000 sq ft store in Lichfield is debuting free water refills, eco-friendly fridges and a zero-waste refill hub. Are we looking at the future of supermarkets here?

The zero-waste area will feature large dispensers filled with 100% organic, vegan and fairtrade products from Suma. Customers will be able to bring in their own containers to fill in a bid to cut down on single-use packaging.

Other features, such as the free hot and cold water refills will be located in the food-to-go area. Here, customers can top up their water bottles and even heat up baby bottles.

The Co-op is not the first supermarket to open an eco-friendly store, earlier this year Asda opened a sustainability store in Leeds. Similarly, the Asda store aims to reduce unnecessary plastic packaging and features rows of zero-waste food dispensers.

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‘A raft of community benefits’

“With the £3 million investment green-lit, we knew it would be a perfect place to showcase everything we feel we represent,” said store manager Jamie Joyce.

“We want to be seen as a community retailer with a brand new look that is inspired by the local area and offers a raft of community benefits.

“Now, more than ever due to the pandemic, convenience shopping could not be more important. That’s why we are launching sites like this – community stores that provide great products and great services for local people to ensure they have access to everything they need right at the end of their street.”

https://twitter.com/mycoopfood/status/1329465737275125763

Local is the way to go

We all know eating a plant-based diet is better for the environment, but eating locally is also significant in reducing your carbon footprint. Getting involved with your local community and buying from independent retailers or co-operatives is much more planet-friendly.

Local food encourages diversification of local agriculture, which reduces the reliance on monoculture (single crops grown over a wide area to the detriment of soils). Moreover, because of the shorter distribution chains for local foods, less food is wasted in distribution, warehousing and merchandising.

We’re sure the new store will be a hit – not just with vegans – and pave the way for the future of shopping.

The new eco-friendly concept store is located at Boley Park in Lichfield.

Do you think the climate crisis has been forgotten in the pandemic? Read our article to find out.