A SHOP which is working to reduce plastic and food waste is encouraging customers to choose items they want to see in store.

The True Food Community Co-op in Grove Road, Emmer Green, sells 64 zero waste organic foods including cereals and flakes, beans and pulses, nuts and seeds, dried fruit, rice and grains, pasta, nutritional yeast and even chocolate buttons.

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Fruit and vegetables

Fruit and vegetables

21 household cleaning and body care zero waste refill products are also on offer, such as washing up liquid, hand soap, body wash and a variety of shampoo and conditioners.

Customers are encouraged to bring their own containers into the store and fill them up with products.

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Speaking about the importance of the shop Angela Morris the Business Development Lead, explained: "I suppose for us it’s very much about a couple of things.

"One of them is about reducing plastic and the other is about reducing food waste."

Zero waste foods

Zero waste foods

She said when you buy a bag of food from a traditional shop you may only need part of it.

At the True Food Community Co-op people can buy what they need.

Members and staff spent the Bank Holiday re-organising True Food Co-op to make more space for zero waste organic loose foods and provide easier access to refill household cleaning items.

This move makes space for even more products and True Food will be canvassing member and customer views on what more they want to see in store.

Shop front

Shop front

Inside the store there is a spare shelf with a note asking people 'what would you like to see here?'.

Owned and run by its members, True Food is an independent community shop where any profit is put back into the business, or into local community projects. This project was delivered by 14 of the 80 current members, who all contribute their time and skills to make the business a success.

Shop Manager Kat Boult said: "I’m really excited to work with our members to make these changes as we’re making it even easier for our customers to shop zero waste foods and refills, as well as making more space to increase our range.

"There’s increasing interest in shopping this way and although we’ve been offering it for years – we hope our changes encourage even more people to feel welcome at our shop and have a go at reducing their plastic use."