I tried zero waste food shopping at British supermarkets

Hope you are ready for episode 2, see you on wednesday at 5pm, you lads are great. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below, I am super intrigued and so eager to learn! This zero waste malarchy may get easier with time?
Insta: gracebooth97
Extra channel: Extra Grack

[@Grackle]

BTW, it googled what the cheapest store was ( as I said in the video) and sainsburys came up!? Apparently it is has been the cheapest store for the past three months!? I was also VERY surprised! I thought it was up there with Waitrose and m and s!?

[@ameliemoore9105]

Waitrose is clsssed as expensive?? Ive shopped there and not known ahaha

[@mayas6574]

Whatt i thought lidl and aldi were

[@silver8324]

Im surprised too i thought asda or lidl would be cheapest lol

[@mayas6574]

@@ameliemoore9105 yeahhh its really expensive lol but maybe their waitrose basics range is cheap

[@tyler-d9974]

Don't believe every think you read just because Google says it doesn't mean it's correct

[@stephjackson9384]

lots of people doing zero waste imperfectly is more impactful than one person doing it perfectly. x

[@miamargrave9322]

🙌🙌🙌

[@jojicjojic5953]

Reduce being the 1st word

[@marianna3253]

silent smoggy Well said! You can start with reduce, reuse, recycle and go from there. It's easier than going zero waste straight away.

[@lovemae7540]

MaaaarrJ woo positivity!!!

[@stephjackson9384]

@MaaaarrJ sorry for the late response, cool good for you :) Take care

[@emilyrigg8196]

This video NEEDS to become a trend so people can start realising how much plastic surrounds us! Great Video Grace as always!

[@harmonyhope1709]

Definitely like and share!!

[@FlapjackR]

The western world accounts for 7% of the worlds plastic usage.

[@colleenm850]

Heaps of youtubers have done it, but still not mainstream enough!!

[@sinemb4331]

Your videos are helping me through my breakup so much. I've been binge watching every video you made for the past couple of days and your videos are the only thing that keep me from crying my eyes out. You're one of the very few youtubers who isn't fake, whose life doesn't revolve around expensive stuff, their looks and their boyfriend. Thank you so much for existing and please never stop making videos

[@deannaworrall243]

I’m sorry for what your going through❤️ it will get better💕

[@jarvishofacker8973]

Hope you’re doing alright now!

[@nivrutharatnapuram]

HI. I hope you are alright and will continue to get better. I completely get what you mean, her videos help me with getting through some pretty sad times.

[@Melissa-fz9tk]

Completely agree with you! It's been a rough few months for me too and she brings a smile to my face every time. Praying you feel better soon! Heartbreak is the worst.💖

[@nalad9387]

You are strong and you will get through this

[@lillys8727]

I swear here in Britain we don’t have as many “ zero waste “ options like in the US

[@thequeerbee2026]

Definitely we are so behind

[@tyler-d9974]

Yeah

[@cherylbaker4290]

🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧

[@unknownphillis3794]

U have to consider that alot of food is imported and must be preserved. I also thought that pasta could be stored in a cardboard and not plastic but idk if there is a specific reason why they have to be in plastic

[@luciaarredondo5189]

But I can cofirm that those kind of supermarkets in USA are really expensive so is a privilege to actually be able to buy there and lest face it, most of the people can't afford that. At the end they really contaminate a lot with single use plastic.

[@TheVanderfulLife]

I believe half the reason stuff is packaged and more expensive is because of us. When everything is loose more gets damaged and so we don't buy that loose apple with a slight bruise, therefore creating more waste! For every pallet of apples the supermarkets know there may be 10% wastage so they factor that in When it's all sealed in plastic on a polystyrene tray it's less likely to be damaged and therefore although it costs more to package, this outweighs the cost of the product

[@jojicjojic5953]

That's why companies do it. Yes the companies have alot of packaging. However they aren't gonna risk lossing customers because of damage goods. When you can pop down the road get something packaged that isn't damaged. It's starts with the consumer. Not the company.

[@TheGhady96]

Completely agree which is a silly reason to not purchase fruit and veg because it has a bruise on it! Here in Australia we have imperfect fruit at our grocery stores that are a LOT cheaper then unbruised fruit!

[@TheVanderfulLife]

@@TheGhady96 no way?! Maybe Australia is leading the way! That's another thing in UK, all the odd shaped carrots and stuff thats slightly normal but would taste fine gets thrown away before packaging because a bag of funky twin ended carrots wouldn't be bought!

[@raquel7413]

@@TheVanderfulLife Most places throw away "deformed" fruit and vegetables not just the UK which is sad but there are many places that are able to get those fruits and sell it for a cheaper price they do it in a poor neighbourhoods in my city and other cities around here which doesn't just minimise the waste but also helps people with less possibilities

[@MissEviscerator]

Improper packaging does lead to a lot of food waste though (not simply cosmetic damage). Reduced shelf life means more frequent deliveries and greater fuel consumption. Of course we should be doing everything we can to reduce waste but I really think people fail to consider the bigger picture.

[@evie428]

Grace, you should go to Lidl! They have loose nuts that you can bring your own bag and help yourself to! :) Alot of the fruit and veg is plastic free too. Not to mention the bakery, completely package free!! All very affordable too :)

[@Aliinthecotswolds]

You should do “ getting food from the app to good to go for 24 hours” I’m Curious to see how it works! X

[@jennajayne9074]

beautybutter yes!

[@sophieh2902]

The app is really good, but it is hit and miss as to whether many restaurants and cafes do it. You have to pick up your items within a time slot and it is pretty simple.

[@Rooqs]

clickfortaz has done a video on it

[@catherines2544]

Thoserosiedays did a video on it!

[@shannon655]

It’s such a good idea but when I tried using it, there’s no where near me, it’s a shame.

[@simplyvince1744]

Plastic packaging is one of those things that started off with really good intentions but then got too out of control. Like, I think we can all agree that for people with compromised immune systems or who need specific packaging that's easier for them specifically to use, plastic packaging is great (say if they have a condition affecting motor function and genuinely need to buy pre-sliced fruits and vegetables). In cases like that, plastic is very useful. On the other hand, a lot of people who don't actually need plastic are using it as a convenience or simply out of habit. I think the trend for zero waste should grow, but for the sake of those who need it, we can't just eliminate plastic entirely. I think sometimes people get too focused on the environmental factors and don't notice that in some cases it's actually a good thing.

[@kjs4154]

Never thought of plastic this way 😮 well said, I always just think of plastic as evil but never thought about these points before

[@notgadot]

Rule, Britannia! ✊💟👏

[@sofapop653]

For anyone wondering there’s a channel called “The Fairly Local Vegan” and she does a TON of videos on zero waste, tips, tricks, and recipes etc!

[@whereivecame5506]

She is great!

[@summerlatter3700]

Love her!!!!!

[@angelawhittle5220]

We can recycle crisp packets in our local Tesco. They are recycled and money raised goes to the air ambulance. I think it’s an initiative by Walkers. Xx

[@abigailpratten508]

Also you can send them to terra cycle and they recycle them into garden furniture

[@natashalongley3517]

Yeah my college does that too pretty sure it’s walkers

[@nancytaylor7723]

Yeah my school has a crisp recycling point set up just cause someone set it up with terra cycle

[@shannoncrozier3181]

I love that KZbinrs are putting things like this out there and raising awareness. I'd love to see a zero waste bathroom video as I think this is super easy that loads of people can do. It's disheartening seeing people struggle with zero waste supermarkets so maybe a positive flip on it in another are of the home? Shampoo and conditioner bars, face and body soap, safety razor, mouth wash tabs, tooth paste in glass, bamboo tooth brush ect. Loved this video and loved the message!!!!!

[@lucyriley6928]

Lidl is pretty good at having package free veg, bakery items and nuts!!

[@GabijaS18]

lucy riley Lidl is soo good

[@mymindsoutside]

I work in Lidl and I can tell you that they have a disgusting amount of waste, the bakery products come in so much plastic it's depressing!

[@hattie2525]

I was saying to someone just the other day I don’t know why they package sugar and flour in paper bags but don’t put pasta and rice in them!

[@lukeshepherd9529]

Because pasta and rice are both hydrophilic and won't be protected from paper which will also absorb moisture. Both of which travel around the world. Rice is actually banned from air travel because it doubles in weight and can take down a plane unless it's wrapped in lots and lots of plastic for distribution like food aid.

[@anjamilde]

@@lukeshepherd9529 Pasta and Rice are both hydrophilic, so far, fine. But flour and sugar are as well, aren't they? I mean, have u ever seen what sugar in an open sugar bowl in your cupboard does over time? It will absord humidity (aka water in the air) and stick to itself. Therefor, I get the first question. It could be differenciated tho, as you mentioned, whether you are transporting these products by air versus via sea/on the ground from the producer to the customer.

[@aliceduncan3067]

Ship in bulk then package ashore?

[@evelynkrull5268]

I know this is older... but it's probably because of fragility. You can squish flour and rice no problem but if you break some types of pasta they become sharp and might slice through paper packaging?

[@Sophia-qq2ys]

A lot of pasta is packaged in cardboard boxes which is better

[@Takiyasdevil]

So I moved to Germany from the UK and here they are very big on recycling, almost everything is recyclable and nearly everyone recycles too. We sort our rubbish out to plastics, bio-degradable, paper and general waste, which seems to be the norm here also ^^ So, almost everything you buy can be recycled, for example soft drinks (or most drinks) that are in plastic bottle (and/or glass) have a 25 cent pfand added on top of the price. Then you can take the bottles back to the store (put them in a machine there then they are sent off to be recycled) and get the pfand back, we take back like 10 euros worth of bottles and it encourages people to recycle them :D Germany is very green ^^

[@kimberlygreyoire7867]

Grace talking into her mic like someone undercover, "Okay, we are in..."

[@cheekykitten25]

I recycle ♻️ I told my sister I haven’t filled one black bin bag of rubbish all week yet because most of everything we buy is packaged in plastic and cardboard or tins etc. ( 🇬🇧) and she was SHOOK (she doesn’t recycle 🤔🧐🤨) Most of the plastic in Aldi is “not yet recycled) I thought it was an Aldi thing but clearly not. I am a Converted Aldi Shopper (ex Sainsbury’s shopper and worker 😭) and Sainsbury’s is definitely not the cheapest. Also I watched a programme where they talked about how everything we recycle should be washed and cleaned. Why don’t the local councils make this more apparent. I’ve never once seen this on any council recycling leaflets. Brilliant video Grace. We should all think about how much waste we produce and how we get rid of it. 💜

[@Miracle4missing]

Been feeling so low the last few weeks, especially today, your videos always come as a relief to me, for as long as they last. Thank you for the distraction grace x

[@Grackle]

Bella ahhh man, sorry you’ve been feeling low. Glad my videos have been able to help you in some way or another 💓

[@annika9348]

Love this video!! Warning: very long comment lol, bless anyone who reads to the end i tried zero waste and it was near impossible, what i now do is just try not to buy non-recyclable plastic as much as possible, and If i do end up buying it I make sure it is the smallest amount (e.g. the bit of film on a tub of berries) and try to only buy it rarely. so no crisps, cereal bars or most snacks! which i don't actually mind at all. I'm happy to buy food that is packaged in recyclable material even if it's plastic (obviously I limit as much as possible though like I have a reusable water bottle). And I've made lots of zero waste swaps at home like not buying sponges anymore for washing up (only metal scourers and cloths which can be recycled in some way or another lol), I also only buy bamboo toothbrushes now (unfortunately i have to buy online so i do a bulk buy) and I have a set of reusable pads. I try not to shop online much anymore because I realised (ironically when buying lots of eco-friendly products online haha) that there's so much plastic packaging that you have to throw away. It's much better to go into a store and pick something up that has no extra packaging even if it not necessarily 'eco friendly' e.g. a plain bottle of lotion that I can recycle after vs a lovely natural lotion in a glass tub from online.. with a ton of plastic packaging. Another reason to buy locally in store is the travel pollution of online shopping as we usually don't check how far things come from. That includes food too - as much as i love a good mango, it's not a regular buy lol. And as you said community :) Also even things like clothes and furniture, we can try to be mindful of materials, at first I thought wood was great and eco friendly in terms of being bio degradable but realised it's usually from trees that take a long time to grow, so decided bamboo furniture where possible is a much better option. ALSO FOUND OUT SOMETHING REALLY IMPORTANT THAT I DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT UNTIL RECENTLY: if you don't rinse food containers before putting them in recycling, they probably wont get recycled :( all the years of not knowing... even foil wont get recycled if it has food on it! i think thats silly because surely part of the recycling process is to clean everything... So make sure you rinse out your empty can of baked beans before throwing it in the recycling bin XD but maybe other people have always done that and its just my family. i try buying more baking paper instead of foil now too because the making of foil is quite unsustainable. Anyway the point of this comment was to show that you don't have to go fully zero waste, you can just make some really impactful daily changes instead :) and if everyone did it the results would be amazing. If you read to the end thanks XD x

[@ami2626]

Anikah this was a lovely comment and i learned a lot thank you!! (i read til the end hehe) x

[@annika9348]

@@ami2626 aww yay!! Thanks glad I could help 😊 x

[@shiju333]

I've heard some zero waste companies lie about their recycling too. So even though the consumer recycles, it still ends up in landfills.

[@Karmic_Retribution]

As someone who lives in the United states this shocked me so much we have a lot more zero waste options here

[@tyler-d9974]

You definitely do

[@oceanmists17]

I know right? The produce section was crazy, most of the vegetables in my grocery store are just loose, not plastic wrapped

[@rue353]

@@oceanmists17 This is one thing a lot of people do not take into consideration. We can only do so much as individuals. Trying to shop with minimal waste in the UK is nearly impossible unless you go to a market, but they're not easily accessible unless you live nearby!

[@elliea5326]

Adina yes i looked and the nearest zero waste shop to my house is 45 mins away

[@xoluciaxo_3721]

As someone working as a cashier in a supermarket, it hurts me how much plastic is around everything. Or when people put little plastic bags around their non-packaged fruits or vegetables😭 like why

[@louallen369]

That's what the supermarkets provide (doh!) apart from Sainsburys. I'm not entirely sure that paper bags are better - high carbon footprint?

[@ilvetwilight19]

Grace, you are spoiling us with all the amazing content! Definitely my favourite KZbinr as I’m always so happy when I see you’ve uploaded. You are the BEST distraction from first trimester nausea. Thank youuuuuuuu 💕

[@Abi-dv5jn]

I love that you made a video on helping the environment, I’m trying to get started on making small changes! 🌍 Thank you, love you!

[@chloelevi]

I’m going to take a wild guess and say it was a struggle, our supermarkets are absolutely terrible for zero waste, unless of course you’re getting fruit and veg That last store you went too is great though, we need more of these! xx

[@lavidalizzie]

I’m SO glad you’re doing this it’s such an important convo atm and doing it in a fun & informative way like you’re doing is proper cool and inspiring for a pauper like me. LOVE THIISSS :D

[@studiousgirl71]

The world needs a crowd of people doing Zero Waste imperfectly rather than just 1 person doing it perfectly.

[@sarah291096]

when you're looking at the plastic packaging etc it's mostly down to the councils as to what they can recycle. At home pretty much the only plastic we can put in the recycling bins are plastic bottles (and not even the lids); whereas in my uni town you can recycle so much more such as plastic trays that meat/berries come in , you can even put empty carrier bags in the recycling bin. Although, as you mentioned, we have to trust that the councils actually are recycling what they say they are.

[@ktelise]

Love the verbal diarrhea and going off on tangents! I could listen to you read a dictionary or a phone book and love it!!

[@colleenm850]

I’m kinda confused, “boxes made from peas” but all the pasta was in bags?

[@johnfraser9356]

Colleen M the boxes that the pasta bags come inside I think

[@colleenm850]

John Fraser But as regular consumers, we’re not gonna buy the entire box in bulk 😅 so if it’s that, it’s kinda pointless to advertise ahaha

[@planetellen2815]

The pasta packaging made from peas is biodegradable as instead of plastic it is a lookalike alternative created from the starch in peas. It can’t be recycled as it can’t be melted down and re formed in the same way actual plastic can but is obviously still much better for the environment

[@Amber-yz5hg]

Think she was just looking at the wrong packets

[@scarlettestorm6867]

I’m in the middle of Washington and would have to travel four hours for a zero waste shop that doesn’t have food. I try my best at my local store and go without a lot. You should try a low-waste bathroom routine. Lush is a great place to start. Low waste all started for me with a metal straw and wool dryer balls 😂 a few years later and I strive everyday to be a little bit better or find better alternatives.

[@christinefreeland7339]

Washington state? I'm in Seattle and Fred Meyer and WinCo usually have bulk bins. Maybe there's one close to you.

[@LauraAlli]

I literally just discovered a zero waste store/cafe that is a 10 minute walk from my house and it’s been there for years... feeling like a total noob

[@harmonyhope1709]

Expensive supermarket: All brits automatically think 'Waitrose' 😂😂😂

[@Believeinyourself-00]

I'm not British but live in England and my first thought of the most expensive shop was Sainsbury's 🤷🏻‍♀️

[@harmonyhope1709]

@Anna Schoepp yes M&S Food Hall too!!

[@harmonyhope1709]

@Anna Schoepp probably although I am partial to their egg and cress sarnie I have to admit!!! 😂😂😂😂

[@harmonyhope1709]

@Anna Schoepp I only go now and again as a treat. It's way too expensive for me. I'm an Aldi shopper!! 😂

[@harmonyhope1709]

@Anna Schoepp haha yes a bit of M&S magic and sparkle is needed at Christmas!!

[@bensheahan1165]

Love you, your channel, and the consistent positive messages/lessons you convey about the world around us thank you so much Grace for being amazing and for just being no one but yourself 💙

[@xesworB]

i've just found you and I've actually had a bloody whale of a time going through your vids x

[@_charlotte24]

one of the things i love about videos like this that you do is how much research you do before even filming the video. it genuinely makes me so happy to see that you've spent your time researching and informing yourself before doing it so that you can make it the best you can. also the fact that you share all this research with us too. just makes me happy u know, keep it up ur doing great!!!

[@Dannydevitos]

Abit unrelated but at Costco you can get a 13 set piece of metal straws. Like 2 straw cleaners and a lil thing to carry them in

[@kristinab8326]

The zero waste shop looked so cute! I’m going to look out for one near where I live in the US.

[@avocado1998]

I'm not sure how many people realise that propably the reason things are more expensive in Waitrose is that most of their products are organic, fair trade, sustainable, ethical etc.

[@Joshthepurple]

I heard the term "Greenwashing" the other day. When brands basically lie about being eco-friendly, seems like what Waitrose is doing with their non-recyclable pea boxes 🧐not cool.

[@frenchiestfry9045]

Joshua Nicholls (Sorry, I know this is a very old comment) actually greenwashing is when people market something that is by default ‘green’ as being PARTICULARLY green- ie that other alternatives AREN’T ‘green’.

[@jumlee5215]

Hi Grace (aka Chloe cause we all know she reads these more than Grace lol) Video Idea! Film something random and have your family narrate the video! Also your dad still has to bake bread with you👍😻have a great day Grack

[@Grackle]

JumLee lolllll this proper cracked me up, it’s not just chloe it’s jesse and I too 😏

[@lindsaysimplyliving803]

"There's a thorn in the back of my dungarees!" love you Grace!

[@angelicnic777]

In Australia, there are so many small independent grocers that give you linen bags instead of plastic when you make a purchase, or you see people walking around with a capsicum or something under their arm. Also, at our major supermarkets, there's both plastic and package-free options for our fruit, vegetables, nuts, granola etc. and its not just a few veggies and fruits - it's all of them. It's amazing. you can pick and choose your produce yourself rather than picking up a pre-packed bag and getting home and having 40% of the produce bruised or damaged somehow. I wish it were like this in more countries because it does genuinely reduce plastic waste heaps. Oh, and the plastic bags that we get from supermarkets are made entirely from recycled plastics/paper and you're encouraged to donate any old plastic bags you have so that they can be reused in a more sustainable way rather than just getting put in with the weekly trash.

[@tam9639]

I feel like one thing a lot of people forget is the frozen aisle. Things like potato waffles, veggie sausages/burgers etc all tend to come in cardboard boxes that are easily recycled. Even total comfort food like potato waffles and linda sausages and a tin of beans can be sustainable, it's all about checking and looking around and being willing to make changes.

[@harmonyhope1709]

That last place was amazing!! We need more of these!!

[@macykennedy2517]

There’s genuinely plastic everywhere in the uk bcoz we don’t have much shops where you can you and fill up your own things xx

[@lf89937]

The one in oxford is so cool, would recommend going to visit. All the fruit and veg had no plastic and berries were in recyclable punnets. Bread was also without plastic. You could get pasta, lentils and other dry legumes and fruit if you brought your own containers. Also washing up liquid can be refilled and beer came from a tap! Such a great video idea.

[@lavenderreads8915]

I would love to see a video on this!

[@de-annewaters2632]

I love watching you learn about Zero Waste. I have been doing Zero Waste for about 2 years and blogging about it. It's crazy how much you learn (like how much is not recyclable) when you look for it - keep learning! love it!

[@erinncahill9753]

Waitrose fruit and veg plastic bags are biodegradable and can be used in the food bins if your area uses those! you can also take your own containers to Waitrose deli counters and in regards to the tins, if its not printed on the product the information is always on the website and the information is alway available at the customer service desk too! Within the next few months you should also see the option to buy 4 single tins at the same price as the plastic wrapped multipack version or so I've heard.

[@oxybrightdark8765]

Zero waste options that are cheap: Forage fruit. In England it is easy to find fruit such as crab apples (they look like tiny apples, and are sour so they have to be cooked), blackberries (they look like lots of berries stuck together and they’re blackish purple), ect. If you need more fruit ideas, reply to this message but I’m not gonna spend my time listening if nobody is gonna read this. You can also make your own stock, which means that you don’t waste any food you buy.

[@marianna3253]

I live in a town in Switzerland that a few years ago started a journey to become the first zero waste town in Switzerland. They organize conferences, workshops, brunches and they give you guidance. They cover pretty much everything: food and drink, cosmetics, hygiene and cleaning, clothing, food containers, toys, etc. And I think in most restaurants and coffee shops you can get take away food/drink in your own containers and get a small discount. But still most supermarkets unfortunately use way too much packaging, e.g. fruit and veg don't need to be wrapped in plastic!

[@lizzie8191]

I don’t know if it’s just my area, but it’s really important to WASH YOUR RECYCLING before you recycle it! As I said it might just be my area, but they won’t take the recycling if it’s not clean, or they will take it and will just throw it out. So wash your recycling !

[@laurenalys5539]

I work for Sainsbury’s, I can tell you that they’re really trying a lot. They’ve completely remade the outer packaging for the microwave meals so they can be recycled, no more plastic cutlery, just wood, no more produce bags, instead they’re selling reusable bags or paper bags. Bakery stuff is slowly being completely recyclable, and their aim is to get rid of about 20,000 tonnes of single use plastic.

[@ebonywinder1378]

In Australia we have a soft plastics recycling system (Redcycle) in every main supermarket store (coles and Woolworths), so all the soft plastics eg. pasta packaging, bread bags, chocolate wrappers, chip packets can be dropped off in the bin in store. Obviously not as good as zero packaging but atleast it is a start. The soft plastics get turned into park benches, chairs for schools etc. Also loved the video 😊

[@lily-bb4mf]

Your videos make me so happy! I love your channel and your family :)))

[@Grackle]

Lily Maurice ah thanks so much lily :)

[@christinefreeland7339]

Such an important video to make. Agreed, it shouldn't be about doing zero waste perfectly but instead being aware of what you're buying and making an effort to reduce. If everyone could make a few small changes, it might encourage companies to meet more eco standards, set new norms, etc. All effort is worth taking!! So glad the zero waste shop was such a positive experience

[@amymclellan583]

A zero waste shop just opened in my town and I'm so excited to go fill all my containers :)

[@ninahorn]

OMG lucky you!! Still waiting for that day to come for me! Although I live in a small town so that's probably not going to happen....

[@marithogervorst15]

Here in the Netherlands, people are becoming more aware about all the packaging. I'm happy to see that most supermarkets now carry reusable fruit and vegetable bags. Unfortunately, they still carry plastic bags and that's what most people reach for. But all small efforts help!

[@marilynpeck4097]

Yayyy ! My fave youtuber from across the pond uploaded , just left the video I just started watching ,. Cant ever get enough Grace ;) love you baby girl

[@Grackle]

Marilyn Peck ahhhh love you lots tooooo xx

[@laurenchamberlain4907]

I like the fact that the packaging clearly labels whether parts of the packaging can be recycled or not. I know if we had this here in Australia, it would make it so much easier to know where to place all the different types of packaging without having to worry about putting it in the wrong kind of bin.

[@eunice3095]

I actually find it quite frustrating/upsetting that so many people have disliked this video...what's the problem? Grace is drawing attention to an environmental issue and taking us on the journey of educating herself on how to lead a more sustainable lifestyle. Assuming that she has a reasonably young demographic, this is something that I bet a lot of viewers haven't considered as an issue before and it's thought provoking. She isn't being self-righteous or preachy; she isn't being patronising or condescending. On the whole, Grace is encouraging people to try to make small changes and using her ever-growing platform for fun, educational, inclusive content. I'll fully admit, I'm far too lazy and ignorant to even attempt to go zero waste...but does this get me thinking more about trying to choose smarter options that won't break the bank? Yeah. Grace, thank you for making videos like these.

[@stephaniekane309]

I’ve been trying hard to reduce my waste (especially plastic waste) for a few months now and it is SO HARD and expensive 😔 it’s really disheartening but whenever I think about just buying something anyway an image of the Pacific Garbage Island (twice the size of Texas) pope into my head and I get “plastic guilt” and go without 🤦🏻‍♀️ I’ve been eating a lot of porridge, rice and started to bake my own bread. It’s tough but big companies will only make big changes if consumers pressure them to reduce waste/think differently. So chuffed you’ve made another video about this issue, Grace; it really helps to spread the message and encourage others to make changes ☺️

[@daisysmum7336]

Great video. I live in a village on Vancouver Island in Canada 🇨🇦. Our village has recently banned plastic grocery bags, so it’s bring your own or buy a paper one. I love that we’re FINALLY heading into this direction.

[@emilylamb9037]

A great way to help the environment is to go plant based, it’s way easier that everyone thinks and a lot cheaper than a meat diet

[@klargeworden]

This is the video that no-one asked for but everyone needed. Tysm Grack xo

[@BananaBobono]

I live in England now and am constantly shocked at how produce is wrapped in plastic. I am Canadian, and I never in my life saw a BANANA wrapped in plastic at the supermarket. I would say 75%, probably more, of produce in Canadian supermarkets are not wrapped in plastic. It makes it very easy to bring your own reusable bag and just toss in all your fruit and veg. Zero waste without even trying!

[@ethicalnada6621]

"if you never know, then you'll never try"

[@soph_db_5104]

Ethical Nada it would make more sense if it was “if you never try, then you never know” x

[@ethicalnada6621]

Soph_db _ I know, that’s what grace said 😂

[@booksfortea]

Ethical Nada 😂😂😂

[@katiewest5520]

To be honest, these are the words I live by

[@OwnStyledLady]

I can recommend the farmers market, you can bring your own bags and containers for everything. For example I have this hessian bag that I fill up with potatoes every 2 to 3 weeks (in the supermarket they have these orange nets around them.) you can buy cheese directly cut from the wheel and put it in your own container and of corse fruits and veggies in general. Also you are supporting local farmers which is a huge plus imo

[@fionataylor5283]

I really love this video! I’ve been putting off going to a zero waste store with my friend because she is experienced and i’m not. It was super cool to see you learning and growing as a person!! 🥰

[@ninahorn]

You should definitely give it a go! In my experience people working at zw stores are super friendly and want to help, so just ask if you're unsure about anything😄

[@katyfolk3433]

Hi Grace, I love this video and thought I would add to the conversation as I work at Sainsburys and can give some information about what they are doing to reduce plastic use in store....(1) Plastic cups in colleague canteens have been removed (2) Ready meal containers are able to be recycled (they are different colours depending on what recycled material has been sourced) (3) Plastic bags on produce and bakery have been removed- now replaced with reusable netted bags. Sainsburys aim is to reduce all packaging on Produce within the next 5 yrs. (I am writing this as I am watching your video so apologises if you discover all of this in the next clips!!)

[@GlamPatrisha]

I really like this, i hope it will bring more awareness to people. It is really needed that we do something about this. I come from Slovenia and here recycling is really important and style of life. In many stores you are not able to buy plastic bags anymore- only sturdy paper ones. People bring their own bags to store, and its very common here. Personally I try do do as much as i can, I dont even own a car, to make less pollution. I grow my own vegetables and those taste good since i dont use pesticides or anything. I hope i see more videos like this

[@Misaki16JAP]

Lidl does some nuts and fruits without packaging also :)

[@annalovesdonuts]

yes yes yes! Such an important topic! :) We can all do better! Tipp: If things like crisps that are only available in plastic( and you can not be bothered to make them yourself), you can save lots of packaging by buying the biggest size, instead of single individual wrappings/small packagings :) x

[@Tezziie2701]

I’ve been trying to reduce my waste for the past few months, and the easiest thing you can do is bring your reusable bags to get fresh bread and produce, or go to the farmers market, if it is available to you. They often offer produce plastic free and I find it fun to go! also save the glass jars you purchase so you can use them for leftovers or even bulk spices from bulk stores! I’m rambling but some changes are super easy to make! (not meant condescendingly, in the area I am I have a lot available, I acknowledge that not everyone has that)

[@georginapalmer6857]

Hey Grace, just so you know, the Waitrose bags for loose fruit and veg are now biodegradable, they changed from single use plastic ones a few months ago xx

[@elisali877]

An interesting thing that I noticed while living in Scotland for the past 5 months is that Lidl (which I figured was one of the cheapest stores available) had less plastic packaging for fruit/veg and bakery items compared to Tesco or Sainsbury's. In Germany (where I'm from) I feel like Lidl has more packaging than other supermarkets. Also there was way more so unnecessary packaging for vegetables in general (like two aubergines, two zucchinis, two stems of ginger - what if I only want one???) Great video btw :) It's a good start to become aware of all your options and compare. I also feel encouraged to try our local zero waste supermarket!

[@siennalulasomers]

I love this video! Thank you for making positive steps in your life 💚🌍 Just a quick note to say that most biodegradable/compostable 'plastics' can't be composted at home and can contaminate plastic recycling. Basically Britain doesn't have the infrastructure to deal with it. Definitely worth reading around 😊

[@angelika_munkastrap4634]

The thing is you don't need the pea packaging to be recyclable, it breaks down on it own. So it's good for the environment. Recycling is only to stop detrimental waste, not waste that's biodegrade by itself and makes no impact

[@suzannestauffer7761]

I work in a supermarket in Pennsylvania. I'm in the produce department. Much of our produce is unbagged. We have biodegradable single use bags available for free to the customer. We recycle all the packaging that the fruits and veggies come in into plastic, waxed cardboard, cardboard,hard plastic and compostables. Of course the other departments have a lot of plastic packaging but most of the fresh departments do better in that respect. There is a lot that could still ve done but it's a start.

[@lebkuchenherz8754]

I'm studying environmental protection and process engineering with focus on waste in central europe and just wanted to clarify that it is in fact an urban legend that people try their best and recycle and in the end it gets thrown together anyway. Of course separating your waste is not just for fun. Efficient recycling can only happen if people start separating their waste at home and the better people do that, the more recycling plants can be economically run :) i hope that made sense

[@Charlotteerx]

Our waitrose has zero waste wine, beer, frozen fruit and food, fruit and veg, seeds and nuts, cereals, coffee, tea, baking ingredients, pasta and rice as well as things like washing up liquid, washing detergent etc. Which is great!

[@SienaAmelie]

From what I've seen, most people consider tins paper, and jars as zero waste because they can be recycled infinitely ✨

[@junipersweet3250]

Btw I live in oxford and they’re continuing the trial and expanding it to some other Waitrose’s in the area!!!

[@elizabethheyn5365]

In the Philippines, I realise there is potentially a lot zero waste options for grocery items, seeing as meat, fruits, and veg can all be bought at a wet market and you can 100% bring your own conrainers. However, majority of the people who usually buy at the wet market are poor and are either unaware or do not care, so there is just a lot of small plastic bags. I do have similar concerns with meat, especially since wet market meat rests out in the open at room temperature. Most of us use the plastic we get from supermarkets or the normal market (farmer's market is what you'd use, I suppose) to line our trashbins, so we sorta kinda recycle them. 🤷🏽‍♀️ Grains are harder, but you can buy an entire sack of rice (20 kilos) and you just have a sack you cna reuse, but not a budget friendly option if you only make enough to buy a kilo (₱40-50) a day, along with some kind of viand.

[@amyh3809]

Sainsbury’s now have a recycling bins in store where you can take thing like bread fruit etc out of the packaging and recycle it in store

[@clrbrwstr]

Waitrose in Oxford was the first zero waste trial supermarket and it has since been rolled out further to other stores and more will go live with it next year. You can go to any food counter with your own packaging and they will fill it with cheese, fish etc.

[@Amber-yz5hg]

I’m confused “bread in paper bags” next to the bread there was bread rolls literally not in paper

[@chipotle581]

glad you did this video! i’m living in the UK rn and it’s so hard to avoid plastic you guys seem to package literally everything 😰 especially compared to the part of Italy where I normally live, there it was so easy to shop without having too much plastic packaging to be honest i was kinda shocked how much could be packaged! people really need to start opening their eyes, we all need to start fighting for our planet and our future and avoiding waste as much as possible!!

[@IIxIINikaIIXII]

Liking it before watching because Yay for the effort!! Effort is most of the battle.

[@crueltyfreecruella]

I love this video so much, I always try to reduce my waste as much as I can and reuse containers. I also know this isn’t food related but I’ve seen a lot of clothing companies using recycled plastic to make their bags, recycled material etc. Asda have a beautiful throw in atm that’s made out of recycled plastic bottles! I’m glad more places are taking these issues on but they need to do much better! Great video x

[@anonamemiss]

I'm still learning about recycling properly and how to live a zero waste lifestyle - this was helpful, Grace! Thanks.

[@nathaniellight4357]

When are the what I eat in a days coming back 😩😩

[@Lilyo1996]

So great to see you doing your bit Grace! :) I’m an aussie who spent some time in the UK this year and I was baffled at the produce sections in the supermarkets, I couldn’t believe things like lettuce were in plastic wrap!

[@emily-re5jo]

the black plastic thing at the moment in waitrose has started at ready meals to trial it all, and they're starting to change some of the veg atm too and the plastic fruit and veg bags are starting now compostable (at least in our waitrose) :)

[@beingkitty1696]

Just wanna say Lidl is really good for zero waste basics aka nuts bread fruits veggies etc

[@booksfortea]

I think that it’s really good that a lot of your packaging has the labels that says if it’s recyclable or not. In Germany we just throw everything in the plastic bin and I used to think that it was all being recycled... but they just separate and decide what can be recycled I guess

[@DemiEmma1504]

Top Tip : Ask, ask, ask... I used to sell vegetables and our company supplied us with plastic bags. So many people were put off by that but we were very happy to use the bags costumers brought in. It was never posted anywhere that we were allowed to do that, honestly just come up and ask the person behind the counter, you never know what they are able to do. I mean the company is a family owned local business so what customers and employees have to say is super important to them, as far as I know the haven't found a non-plastic solution that works for them but they invested money into buying better bags (still plastic) that are sturdy enough to reuse when you returned to buy new vegetables. Another point is the more people ask the faster the change will come. That is just how businesses work. Think about buying stuff from business like the one I worked at, local and family owned. It isn't just better for the environment but also for the workers. I worked 2 seasons for them, about 3 years ago and still get Christmas cards from them. My second year working there my birthday was while I was working, my boss drove down about 30 minutes just to gratulate me. I was paid over minimum wage for a work that everywhere else I would most definitely would have been paid minimum wage. They care not only for their customers but for the employees, in our economy that is increasingly difficult to find. And the prices weren't that outlandish either, yes they were higher than some other local places but we also had cheaper options. In the End you knew what you were paying for wasn't only what you got to take home with you.

[@michaelaberry1276]

If your supermarket has a carrier bag recycling bin, you can often recycle things like cereal and freezer food bags. Not ideal but better than binning them if you can't (or don't want to) go without

[@janetkarous210]

Grace you need to launch your own merch and on it, it says 'debrief time'

[@deb_aspinall]

Love this video! I think it is overwhelming & I think a lot of people are intimidated like you were about zero waste shops. I’m sure most people want to do their bit & supermarkets really need to up their game.

[@steventoone9462]

The recycle thing is so true. I worked in McDonalds and they now have bins where you put the plastic lids in one section, cardboard in another etc... When the bins need changing it all goes in one massive bin and gets crushed all together... Terrible!