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Although J . Prentis has stood the test of time and seen the rise of supermarkets and now the shift back towards independent shops , new eco-focused shops are also opening in Kent to give the public the opportunity to go as plastic and packaging free as they can . This includes the concept of reusing and refilling , which is at the heart of The Refillery , a new business in Canterbury . We spoke to owner , Catherine , who told us : “ The issue of environmentally conscious consumerism is as urgent and important a cause as it gets , and as a family we ’ ve been challenging ourselves to reduce our own plastic rubbish , but also learn more about the complex technical , economic and logistical challenges around eradicating plastics . With a lack of convenient options in the area and at a junction in my own career , I came across The Refilley franchise and felt the concept and brand was on-point for Canterbury .”
Catherine continued : “ We need to be optimistic about the future and our ability to change our relationship with single use plastic . As a community we can support each other on the journey to a minimal waste lifestyle .” The Refillery stocks all of your cupboard staples . From freshly baked bread and cakes to pasta and cereals , coffee and tea , herbs and spices , and a full range of household detergents and personal care items . We recommend you try their super popular and delicious freshly milled peanut butter and make the most of their refillable wine and cider .
Other wholefood shops in Kent include Canterbury Wholefoods , who stock a huge range of traditional wholefoods such as beans , pulses and cereals and so much more – they even offer a home delivery service . Canterbury Wholefoods is Soil Association certified , and all their fruit and veg is organic , and much of it is locally sourced . Canterbury Wholefoods also do refills for Ecover products and a Salt of the Earth natural deodorant refill . Folkestone Wholefoods , which can be found in the town ’ s Creative Quarter , is yet another ethical treasure for all your pantry supply top-ups . Stocking a broad range of products , including locally baked organic bread , fair-trade gifts and natural skin care , Folkestone Wholefoods emphasise local , ethical , vegetarian and plastic-free products wherever possible . They also offer a refill service on household cleaning products as well as skincare . And all their own-brand nuts , seeds and legumes come in biodegradable packaging .
Another huge part of our lives that usually , unfortunately , comes packed in plastic is coffee . However , coffee and the words sustainable and ethical now come hand-in-hand . Kent also has answers to avoiding as much plastic packaging as we can in terms of coffee , including in the form of coffee retailers such as Lost Sheep . Lost Sheep offers a specialty coffee subscription worth getting out of bed for . Fully customisable , so you can change or skip any time with no hassle , you can choose from their specialty coffee beans or their Nespresso compatible Eco Pods . Not only will you be helping the environment by drinking cups of the good stuff , but you will also be saving yourself money this way too .
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