Eleven months after opening, a refill store in Vernon prevented over 68,000 plastic bottles and containers from entering the environment.
Now, this same store has brought this service to Ā鶹AV.
Saturday, Nov. 7 served as the official opening of Fill: Ā鶹AVās Refill Store, and a lineup of people remained steady throughout the afternoon.
Located at 3155 Lakeshore Rd, the store allows customers to refill containers with their favourite cleaning products, whether that be shampoo, soap, dish and laundry detergent, and more.
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Teresa Sanders, founder and partner, said that in Vernon, their first location, they have been very well received. In Vernon, they were just recently named new business of the year.
āFrom the moment weāve opened the doors, weāve been embraced by people that want to ditch plastic, and want to help the environment,ā she said.
READ MORE: Doors open to Vernonās first refill store
Most of their products are either Okanagan or B.C. sourced. About 10 per cent of their products are not Canadian.
In terms of cost, youāll find products that compare in price to local grocery stores, or you can pay extra for more organic, natural products. That being said, they aim to sell only eco-friendly products.
Prices for shampoo range from $12 to $23 per litre. Sanders explained that when you look at some of the brands they sell on other shelves, Fill sells refills for about 60 per cent of the regular price.
The Ā鶹AV expansion was a dream come true for both Sanders and local store manager and partner, Gabi Dubland. Originally, Sanders came up with the idea for the Vernon store after questioning what happens to her recycling.
āAbout nine per cent of plastics get recycled worldwideā¦ just that ability to help our communities locally with plastic reduction. Itās just so fulfilling to know that we are really making a difference,ā she said.
The store aims to operate in an eco-friendly way, as well. Since opening their Vernon store in December 2019, theyāve made just two recycling trips.
āĀ鶹AV just had a need, and we saw it, and decided to fill it,ā added Dubland.
āOur goal is to make it easy, accessible and convenient for everybody. Youāre going to go get your groceries anyways? Come fill up your laundry and your dish soap at the same time.ā
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Do you have something to add to this story, or something else we should report on? Email: phil.mclachlan@kelownacapnews.com
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