Refill Van

Refill Van, based in Rushden and Kettering, but serving a large portion of Northamptonshire, is a weigh-and-pay style household goods ‘refill store’ – with plastic and packaging free products. Along with team members Emma and Adam Mattacola, Refill Van began trading in May last year and has quickly grown in momentum and popularity amongst local communities.

Designed to support sustainability and reduce waste, the mobile shop is stocked with a variety of dried goods including pasta, pulses, beans, cereals, nuts, loose teas and coffee beans. Customers can also replenish things like shampoo and conditioner, washing up liquid, household cleaners and hand soap, while items for sale include a range of bamboo toothbrushes, deodorants, reusable sandwich bags, plus much more. The full range can be seen on the website, at www.refillvan.co.uk.

In order to reduce packaging, they sell many of their products by weight. This allows you to refill your own containers with whatever you would like. The containers are weighed before filling, then again afterwards. This means that you only pay for the amount that you need. You can use whatever containers you have in the house – old Tupperware, jars, bottles, bags… as long as it is clean and empty then it can be refilled and save a lot of needless packaging. There are also ‘Forever’ 500ml glass bottles for liquids available to buy that you can refill again and again.

Ralph (and Tarn!) will be at Ironstone Wellbeing Centre every 3 weeks, on a Saturday from 9am – 1pm. Their next visit is Saturday 10th April. Just turn up, bring whatever containers you’d like to fill and Tarn will help you with the rest.

If you forget your containers, or buy more than you planned to, don’t worry as the van holds spare containers and compostable brown paper bags!

Check out the Refill Van via their website and social media platforms.