Precycle offers "zero-waste", package-free grocery shopping experience
In The Know producer Poppy Shen takes us to Precycle, a "zero-waste", package-free grocery store in Brooklyn
Video Transcript
POPPY SHEN: Today, I'm going to try this zero-waste package-free grocery store called Precycle in Brooklyn, New York. Basically, they sell everything in bulk without any sort of packaging. And they encourage you to either bring your own reusable containers or purchase them at the store.
As a young professional living in York City, I've been trying to bring sustainability to my everyday life. But I also need to consider factors like affordability and practicality. So come with me today and experience firsthand what it's like to shop at a zero-waste grocery store.
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Everything is beautifully displayed in glass jars, bins, and containers. And separated by categories such as fruits, veggies, pasta, grains, and spices. First up, we'll weight the reusable containers and label them. We then fill them up with whichever foods we choose. After that, we bring everything to the checkout counter. The tearaway will be deducted so we're only paying for the foods we're purchased.
Finally made it back from the grocery store. And I can't wait to tell you guys how the whole experience was.
First-- package waste. Although New York City has banned the use of plastic bags in most grocery stores, sometimes we forget that the food itself is already prepackaged in plastic containers. However, everything I Precycle-- including fresh produce, eggs, spices are stored in loop bins, glass jars, and reusable containers to eliminate any sort of packaged waste before they even go on sale. And it's also just really cool to be able to see the food for what it is, instead of all the packaging and marketing that it comes from.
And here is a side-by-side comparison of all the packaged waste from my trip to Precycle versus local grocery store. While the glass jars and containers can be used many, many times, plastic containers are thrown away after one single use. And, of course, they also encourage you to either bring your own reusable bag or purchase one at the store to carry all of your groceries from.
Secondly-- variety. Precycle does not sell meats or any frozen items. You can't find your everyday snack brands like Oreos or Cheetos. It's more like a sustainable eco-friendly place where you can find fresh produce and bulk foods that can last in your pantry for a very long time. So going into the store I knew I wasn't going to be able to find everything I needed for a whole week's grocery. I probably need another trip to a regular grocery store to find meat, snacks, or other gluten free or vegan products that I need.
Lastly, let's talk about how convenient and practical this entire trip really was. A lot of people say that sustainability comes with a price tag. And it is certainly true when you live in New York City. Precycle is located in Bushwick, Brooklyn. And I live in downtown Manhattan. So the commute there was a 40 minute train, which was not too bad.
But coming back with all the heavy containers and jars in my bag was kind of a hassle. I ended up having to Uber home because there was no way I could care all of this heavy stuff on a train. But if you go with a friend or ride a bike or have a car, this trip would certainly be a lot easier. Plus I was actually surprised by how affordable everything was at the store.
I spent a total of $98. and I got enough stuff that would last me for at least one or two weeks. The same amount of the same items, or very similar items, at Whole Foods and the total came out to be $85. The difference in price was way smaller than I expected.
I think living in a big city and having busy schedules, sometimes it's easy for us to choose convenience over sustainability. But if you have the right tools and use the right methods, practicing green living is actually very affordable and practical. And the little things we do on a daily basis, like grocery shopping, can have a huge impact on our environment.
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