Zero Waste Grocery Stores

'NU Grocery' recently had its grand opening in Ottawa, Canada, introducing consumers to a new destination for eco-friendly shopping. NU Grocery sets itself apart as the city's first-ever zero waste grocery store, which encourages consumers to bring their own containers to be filled with goods made available through the store. NU Grocery's walls are adorned with writing that uses three simple words to describe its system: "tare, fill, pay."

Those who bring their own containers are invited to first weigh their empty containers, fill them with liquid foods, baked items or dry goods, then have them weighed again before checking out.

For those who do not come prepared to the store with their own containers, NU Grocery offers paper bags for dry goods, which can be recycled or composted after use.