Plastic Free Aisle – Ekoplaza Plastic Free Shopping

Ekoplaza is an organic supermarket chain in The Netherlands. Last week they introduced the worlds first ever plastic free aisle after working together with A Plastic Planet.

A Plastic Planet first launched their campaign in 2017 to introduce plastic free aisles in supermarkets. They have truly stood up for the public who want plastic free shopping. The plastic free aisle has received worldwide coverage and comes at a time when there is a lot of talk in the media about plastic pollution. However much of the international media was vague.

Firstly this was no plastic free aisle, it is a whole store! 

Secondly, it looks like any other supermarket. The products are still in packets…but not plastic packets! If you are expecting a zero waste or bulk aisle, where you can fill up your own jars, then think again.

 

So, the main aim of plastic free food shopping is to waste less single use plastic. The reason we want to do this, plastic is incredibly difficult to recycle. Recycled plastic looses quality and does not have the same properties as virgin plastic, therefore it is an unsustainable resource to use for such a short time. Plastic takes an extraordinary amount of time to break down. Causing a massive amount of determental pollution to the world and oceans.

A simple solution is to use an alternative where possible.

Plastic Planet are still  campaigning for plastic free aisles in other supermarkets, they believe everybody should have the choice to shop plastic free.

But what are these plastic free alternatives?

• Glass – made from silica, soda ash and limestone. Glass does not leach into food and can be sterilised. It can be recycled again and again without losing quality.
• Aluminium – starts out as Bauxite (a reddish rock) which is mined. It can be recycled without losing quality which is much more beneficial to the environment than mining for more rock.
• Tin – similar to aluminium but not quite as easy to recycle.
• Paper – which can be produced from fast growing grass as well as trees.
• Biomaterials which are mainly corn and vegetables that are formed into a plastic like material and can be composted.

All of these alternatives have different properties and also have one thing is common. They can break down and won’t last forever in a landfill.

The plastic free aisle is a brilliant solution to a widespread problem – our plastic consumption. Ekoplaza and Plastic Planet have paved the way and I am hopeful that other supermarkets will follow.

Images are all taken in and outside the Plastic Free Ekoplaza in Amsterdam. Most of the plastic alternative information is from A Plastic Planet website, check it out for lots more information about the campaign.

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