Would an “unpackaged” grocery store work here?

By Jonathan Bender in Question of the Day

Thu., Jan. 21 2010 @ 11:00AM

If stores have spent the last few years pushing reusable bags, then in 2010 we should move on to the issue of food-packaging waste. I expect to see more products like the Rethink Coat Hanger, which transforms two plastic water bottles into a clothes hanger.

A recent Good post (via Twitter user KCKimchi) profiles Unpackaged — a two-year-old grocery store in London that only sells unpackaged goods. Customers bring their own bags and containers to the store, which is stocked with produce, nuts, cooking ingredients like flour and rice, and even toiletries.

There are signs that Kansas City could be ready for an Unpackaged-type concept. Restaurants like Cafe Europa are using Earthscraps LLC to turn food waste into compost. Only once I have seen someone use the fresh water dispensers in parking lots, but the things have been around a long time so people must use them. In other parking lots around town, Ripple Glass recycling containers certainly seem to be getting more use. And the number of farmer’s markets in the Kansas City area keeps growing, and that’s how Unpackaged started.

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