The need to lead more sustainable lives and find more eco-friendly ways of operating becomes increasingly apparent as each day passes and the realities of the climate crisis really set in.
The good news in this regard is that it’s becoming easier for us to reduce our own individual environmental footprints – and there’s one relatively new business venture that’s starting to become a hallmark of high streets everywhere and that’s the zero-waste shop.
As we all know, business works on a supply and demand basis so it’s certainly interesting to see just how many businesses of this kind can now be found around the UK, revealing the extent of the nation’s appetite for leading more sustainable lifestyles.
I Love Zero is one such venture, set up by Theresa Brindley in the charming Yorkshire market town of Pocklington back in May 2020. At the time, Theresa was still in full-time employment as a teacher at a local primary school – but she was keen to follow her passion for all things environmental… and keen to make a difference.
And thus I Love Zero was born! The shop itself serves its customers by offering an alternative to supermarkets, with all products organic and free from non-recyclable packaging, where possible.
But it’s not just the shop shelves that are green and all business decisions bear the environment in mind, everything from working with local suppliers and using eco-friendly energy suppliers to selecting brands that share their core values of fair trade, fair wage, ethical sourcing and great quality products.
Theresa got in touch with the Invest East Yorkshire business support team via the Market Weighton Business Centre to help her achieve her ambitions.
We advised her on completing tax returns, writing a business plan with financial forecast, issued with the application and guidance for an ICT Start-up grant worth £1,000, and referred to the Love Your High Street Fund for support in transforming her leased property from a fabric shop to a zero-waste weigh and save shop.
I Love Zero, the eco-friendly store, opened its doors late in September 2020, having been completely refitted with state-of-the-art gravity dispensers, an EPOS system that will barcode a customer’s own reusable container and stocked with many local producers’ items.
The new business has been well received by local residents and continued to serve its community through the various lockdowns, providing socially distanced shopping, a click and collect service, as well as an online ordering and home delivery service.
With the new shop website now fully functioning, Theresa is also about to launch her online service for a wider community developing an online Shop A Little Greener directory.
Here’s what Theresa had to say about our support and guidance:
“We valued the support of the council’s business support team as they guided, advised and supported us through the various options that were available to us. It was, and is, lovely to know we have the support at the end of the phone or email. It makes the business world a little less daunting.”
If you’d like to find out more about how Invest East Yorkshire can help you develop your business in the future, get in touch with us today.
