In November, local sustainability group Penrith Action for Community Transition (PACT) welcomed Scott Jackson, manager of Penrith’s zero-waste shop, Another Weigh, for a talk on zero-waste shopping, why it’s important, and the many benefits of shopping plastic free.  Scott explained how Another Weigh works, and how easy it is to shop there.

Scott described how a meeting between two like-minded individuals led to the creation of Another Weigh.  Amy Bray, a student increasingly concerned about the state of the environment, and Zoe Hedges, a young mum trying to reduce her carbon footprint with reusable nappies, created Another Weigh as an eco-friendly alternative to supermarkets. Their aim was to make it possible to shop with zero waste, of either plastic or food.

Most goods in supermarkets are encased in excessive layers of packaging, which is usually plastic. Scott gave the seasonally appropriate example of mince pies, which are typically packaged in foil cases, in plastic trays, sealed in plastic wrapping, all in a cardboard box or sleeve which often has a plastic window.  Even before they reach the shelves, goods are bulk packaged and often wrapped in even more plastic for shipping.   Another Weigh minimises this waste by buying loose goods directly from wholesalers and encouraging customers to bring their own reusable containers.

Scott estimated that between January and September of 2025, customers of Another Weigh across both Penrith and Kendal shops saved 12,850 plastic bottles by refilling containers rather than buying new ones each time. Over a third of these savings were of washing up liquid bottles! Studies show that of the millions of tonnes of plastic waste generated in the UK annually, less than 10% is actually recycled.  If every household made small switches, such as using refills for washing up liquid, we could massively reduce our plastic waste.

Zero-waste shopping doesn’t only reduce packaging waste; shops like Another Weigh enable consumers to buy exactly what they need rather than wasting leftover food. For example, if a recipe requires 50 grams of an ingredient, shoppers can buy exactly that amount, rather than getting a larger packet from the supermarket that may eventually be thrown away. This also saves money.  Another Weigh also chooses local suppliers where possible, including coffee roasters in Cumbria.

Thus zero-waste shops reduce consumers’ impact on the environment by cutting out packaging and reducing food waste.  By shopping at Another Weigh, in Penrith or Kendal, customers are supporting an independent, not-for-profit and sustainable alternative to the big supermarkets.  The proceeds of the shops go towards  ‘Another Way’, the environmental education charity that was also founded by Amy Bray.   

Scott assured the audience that shopping at Another Weigh is simple and there is always somebody at the till who is happy to help. There is an optional membership scheme that gives a 10% discount off all loose foods.  But the shop is open to everyone.  Scott acknowledged that it is a different way to shop, but people who use Another Weigh regularly prefer it to conventional shopping, and he said it is certainly more sociable – he referred to customers as “his family”!

PACT extends their gratitude to Scott Jackson for his excellent and informative talk and strongly encourages readers to visit Another Weigh to try it first-hand.