A new weigh to shop

It’s time to raid that cupboard of old bottles and jars. The ones stored up because they might be useful one day. That day, at least in Durham, has come.

The Weigh to Shop, newly opened on Framwellgate Moor Front Street, aims to reduce waste – especially plastic waste – by moving away from single-use plastic and encouraging shoppers to bring their own empty containers and use them to take away the goods they need.

James Brenan, who is opening the business with his wife Sarah and twin daughters Emma and Laura, explained: “We know that the oceans are filling up with microplastics. That comes from people throwing plastics into landfill. We think of so much packaging as single-use plastic when it’s not – or it doesn’t have to be. They are multiple use. Shampoo bottles, ice cream tubs, margarine cartons: anything that’s got a lid on can be cleaned, reused, and reused again.

“Our principle is that customers bring their empty containers, fill them up with the amounts they need and pay for that content. We’re not increasing the amount of packaging that you take away, we’re not dictating how much you end up buying.”

Hopefully that means an end to buying bulk packages for small, one-off needs; no more bags of dried fruit opened for a handful of raisins in a Christmas cake then left to moulder in a drawer before being thrown away the following December. “That’s a waste,” James points out. “It’s a waste of food and a waste of plastic. This is what we want to eliminate.”

The stock includes a range of store cupboard essentials – flour, nuts, dried fruits, herbs and spices, pasta – plus treats in the form of speciality teas and coffees or jars of sweets. Household products include washing powders, soaps and dental hygiene ranges. There are several lines of plastic-free alternatives to everyday products – chewing gum, facemasks, dental care – and as far as possible, the store aims to support local suppliers.

“I think everything we have is made in the UK,” James added. “We’re trying as much as we can to use local produce Our soaps are all from just up the road, our range is made in Sacriston. The linseed oil is from Darlington, the coffee is from Northallerton. All our pasta is made in the UK, we have cheese from Weardale. We want to reduce our carbon footprint as much as we can, even though that’s difficult with bulk.”

Popular appeal

The reuse and reclaim ethos also guided the refit of a former NHS clinic into a shop. About 80% of the furniture and fittings are made from reclaimed materials – much of it the work of Throwaway Culture, designers of bespoke furniture with a twist.

If that all sounds a bit earnest – insert your own jokes about hugging trees – the reality is far more accessible. The idea is not to harangue customers about the state of the planet, but to offer an easy way to help improve the situation.

“From the very start our objective was to design a shop that we would be happy to shop in,” James said. “We have organic, vegan and vegetarian options because we want to provide for everybody.

“It doesn’t matter what your dietary requirements are, everybody can do one thing to reduce the amount of waste they create. I hope that we’re creating a shop where people will feel comfortable, where everybody can come in and everyone’s welcome.”

And initial indications are promising. In the weeks leading up to the grand opening, the shop’s Facebook and Instagram pages have been busy with messages of support and suggestions about how to develop the business.

“It’s been brilliant. We’ve had loads of support on social media, far more than I expected,” James said. “There’s a real groundswell of people talking about coming along when we open, which just shows that we’ve grabbed people’s attention.

“And it’s a good starting point for identifying things that people want to buy. We have our opening stock, but nothing is set in stone. I’m hoping that when people come in, they will be saying ‘have you thought about stocking this?’. Facebook has been great for that already.

“Somebody asked about balsamic vinegar and it led to an interesting conversation. If we buy in bulk, it comes in 5-litre plastic bottles but in the supermarket you can buy it in glass. So we made a decision because you can get vinegar in glass bottles that can be processed, whereas I don’t know that the plastic can be, and we decided not to stock it. There are ranges that we won’t carry because of that kind of impact.”

A new way of shopping

In some respects, the store recalls the old Food Weighhouse chain, with its vats of cereals, nuts and raisins. But that business was attempting to compete on price, whereas the Weigh to Shop hopes to tap into two emerging trends: eco-friendly shopping and a desire to shop local.

“We were inspired by a programme on the BBC about the war against plastic,” James added. “When we saw that programme it completely changed the way we shopped, the way we thought about shopping. We realised just how much plastic we had in the house and how much of it was waste, how much we threw away. It’s awful, so to have the opportunity to be pro-active and try to provide an alternative to that was something we couldn’t miss.”

That was earlier this year when James left a role in sales – previously had 12 years’ experience as a nurse – with a plan to open this business in April. The pandemic intervened – fortunately before the lease on the shop was signed – but as lockdown eased it still felt like the right project.

“We found that we’re not alone. We’ve been working on this place for three weeks now. We put the posters in the window and people have been knocking on the door, saying ‘I get what you’re trying to do and why’.

“As for shopping local, COVID has had a huge impact on the way people shop. We were in no rush to go back to the supermarket and we’re in no rush now. It seems that a lot of the things that were put into place have gone by the wayside. So yes, people are shopping locally and I think that’s great. We need to support our high streets as much as we can.”

And the support is mutual, starting with Fram Ferment next door, which has welcomed its new neighbour enthusiastically.

“They have much the same attitude,” James said. “They set up their bottle shop, they are encouraging people to bring along containers and refill them with beer, reducing the amount of virgin glass going into recycling. And they’ve been fantastic with us, very supportive from day one despite all the noise and banging as we got this place into shape.

“And it’s been everyone along the Front Street. We’ve met a lot of people from all the shops and they are all supportive. I think they want to see this type of shop here and not another generic takeaway. There’s a desire for something different and people like the idea of essentially a plastic free grocer.”

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