💸 3 ways refill shopping can actually help you save money 👀♻️
From food staples to household cleaning, some refill products are simply cheaper than packaged supermarket alternatives 🏷️
You can also:
✨ Buy only what you need
♻️ Reduce food waste
💰 Avoid paying for unnecessary packaging
We have even compared some of our refill prices directly against supermarkets 👀
Ever wondered how our loyalty cards are made? 👀✂️
Our loyalty cards are hand-cut and hand-stamped in-store using recycled card rather than glossy plastic cards. It is a simple part of our low-waste approach.
The video itself is a bit tongue-in-cheek but the part about reviews is true. Reviews genuinely help independent refill shops like ours become more visible online and help new customers feel more confident trying low-waste shopping 💚
We are open as normal throughout the Spring Bank Holiday weekend 🌿
If you are spending time locally this weekend, consider supporting independent businesses where you can 🛍️
Refill shopping is a practical way to reduce packaging waste, support local shops, and make more sustainable everyday choices 💚
Recycling is good. Refilling is best.
Any bottle can be reused for refill shopping ♻️
At our Sheffield refill shop, you can bring your own containers, even something unexpected, and refill essentials like washing up liquid or laundry products. We also have labels available to help keep track of what is inside.
In April, our community added 1025 refills, bringing the 2026 total to 3625 single-use bottles and packaging items saved from SESI refills alone 🌍
Why do sustainability events matter to Sheffield? 🌿
We asked the organiser behind The Sustainable Market.
A simple idea that makes plastic-free, low-waste shopping more accessible while supporting local independent traders.
Meet Cute Little Bags by Wendy 🧵
Wendy creates handmade reusable bags and accessories using cotton fabrics, focusing on low-waste production and practical alternatives to single-use plastics.
Her work began by replacing plastic party bags with reusable fabric ones, and has grown into a thoughtful handmade range.
You can now find her work at The Fair Alternative in our Sheffield shop.
Yesterday we talked about textile waste, and how big the problem can feel.
This is what part of the solution looks like in practice. Clothes that have been locally sourced, repaired, and reworked to keep them in use for longer.
Projects like this are happening right here in Sheffield, showing that small, practical actions really do add up.
There is a new smell in the shop, and it is a good one 🍵
We have just introduced a range of Dragonfly Tea to our shelves and online store, including plastic-free tea bags and thoughtfully sourced blends.
From calming herbal teas to everyday brews, these are teas that smell as good as they taste.
We have also left some space on the shelf. If there is a tea you would love us to stock, we would really like to hear your suggestions.
Our March top ten best sellers are in. 🌿📊
Hand Wash takes first place this month, followed by Fragranced Non Bio Laundry Liquid and Washing Up Liquid.
It is great to see a mix of returning favourites like Salt and Pepper Cashews and a new entry from Pecan Halves.
We have also compared refill hand wash prices with supermarket options, showing how refilling can reduce single-use plastic waste while also saving money. 💚♻️
Behind the scenes of our refill system in Sheffield ♻️
This is how SESI refills arrive and are poured into our dispenser barrels, ready for customers to use in-store. It is a simple circular system, with tubs reused again and again to reduce single-use plastic waste.
You can bring any container and refill essentials like Washing Up Liquid or Laundry Detergent.
In March, the community added 614 SESI refills, bringing our 2026 total to 2600 items saved🌍
The Bare Alternative