Meet Laura, the owner of Hetu- London's first zero waste, vegan, bulk food store.

You may have heard the term zero waste or been to one of the zero waste shops opening in cities such as London, Melbourne, Amsterdam, and Sydney. If you are unfamiliar with the term, it’s a concept and lifestyle of not creating waste that ends up in landfills. It's about composting, recycling correctly, but most importantly minimizing the waste we produce. The 5 Rs that best describe the goals are Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, and Rot (compost).

Hetu is London’s first vegan zero waste shop that opened its doors in December 2017. Laura, the owner, adopted a zero waste lifestyle while living in Sydney. When she decided to move back to London, she realised London did not have any eco bulk food stores like the ones she shopped at in Australia. With a business plan and a mission, she spent nearly a year searching for the right location and getting to know many vegan and zero waste advocates in the greater London area. There were several months of searching for non-plastic bulk food dispensers, collecting second-hand furniture for the shop, and finding organic eco suppliers willing to ship large quantities of product in environmentally friendly and sustainable packaging. She sensed there was a great demand and people were counting down the days before her store opened, sending emails and messages of support and anticipation. One woman said she had stopped buying razors waiting for the shop to open so she could buy one of the gorgeous metal razors for sale. I bought one myself, and I have to say it's fantastic!

One Sunday I spent the day with Laura at the shop. While she steadily managed the register, I helped the customers on the floor. It was a great insight into how the store functions and her customers' passion and commitment to sustainability and the environment. It was a positive day, realising how many people care and want to change the way we live and treat our planet. It was touching to hear so many customers say to Laura: "thank you for opening your shop!".

At the end of the day, I sat down with Laura and asked her a few questions to gain a better understanding:

Q: What does Hetu mean?

A: Hetu means ‘purpose’ in Sanskrit

Q: Can you briefly describe what you sell if someone has never been to your store?

A: We aim to be a one-stop shop for the conscious shopper. We stock rice, pasta, lentils, nuts, seeds, cereals, flour, herbs, spices, dried fruit, raw cacao, and coconut sugar to name a few – all organic, all unpackaged!

We have a small deli section that stocks vegan mylk, cheese and yoghurt, all in glass jars. And on weekends, we sell wonky surplus fruit and veg, totally plastic free.

As well as food, we provide household cleaning products and shampoo in bulk along with soap, deodorant, toothpaste, bamboo toothbrushes, and toilet roll.

You can also buy reusable coffee cups, glass and stainless-steel water bottles, shopping bags, lunchboxes – and much more!

Q: What is the process of shopping at Hetu like and how should one prepare to shop in a zero waste bulk store?

A: Zero waste shopping is definitely a much slower thought out experience than going into a supermarket, and that’s how it should be. Customers should come prepared with their own containers, anything will do - old take away containers, glass jars, zip lock bags etc. The empty containers are weighed, customers fill their containers with as much or as little product as they like, and pay for just what they need. Shopping this way stops impulse buys and also reduces food waste.

Q: How important are organic products to you?

A: Organic products are important, but they are not always accessible to everyone due to the large cost involved for farmers to become certified, making organic produce more expensive. Food waste and over packaged food, to us, causes more of an environmental issue.

Q: Your store is vegan, do you have to be vegan to be zero waste?

A: No, you don’t have to be vegan to be zero waste, you don’t have to be anything to be zero waste. However, it is important to question everything we eat, use, buy etc. and I would recommend people look into the affects their choices have on the environment.

Q: What came first for you? Being vegan or zero-waste?

A: I was vegan first and I think it’s an easy transition for a vegan to go zero waste. When you see what plastic pollution is doing to wildlife and sea life, you really can’t un-see it.

Q: What are some simple things we can all do to live a more zero waste life?

A: Some of the more obvious things are always carry a reusable water bottle, a shopping bag, say no to single-use plastic etc. But something else that I find simple is to question every decision before we make it, before we buy something, before we order food, before we order a drink. After a little while of doing this, it will become second nature.

Q: What can someone living a zero waste life not live without and why?

A: This is a slight paradox as the essence of living zero waste, for me anyway, is learning to go without. However, I rarely go anywhere without my coffee cup or water bottle, they are my lifeline!

Q: Have any items been more popular than you anticipated or less popular?

A: I can’t keep up with the demand for bamboo toothbrushes! I suppose it’s an easy step, and a relatively inexpensive one, for people to make, and it’s something we use twice a day.

Q: What is your advice for someone thinking about adopting a zero waste lifestyle?

A: Take it one step at a time. If you do too much in one go, you will feel overwhelmed. Set yourself realistic goals, record the wins and don’t beat yourself up when things don’t always go to plan.

Follow positive and realistic zero waste bloggers and YouTubers such as Sustainably Vegan for inspiration. Surround yourself with good vibes.

Q: What has been the biggest surprise during the process of realising your vision and opening your store?

A: How well received it has a been. I think the timing couldn’t have been better as the awareness across the UK is growing, which is fantastic.

Q: Do you hope to open more locations in the future?

A: Definitely. It’s important to make zero waste shopping accessible to all. We are also helping others set up shops by giving them advice or answering any questions they have – we want to help grow the wider community.

Q: What final advice do you have for someone that is not vegan or living a zero-waste lifestyle?

A: Do your own research and find your own reasons for going vegan or zero waste, as they are not always the same for everyone. You have to be doing it for the right reason otherwise it won’t stick, and it will feel like a task rather than a lifestyle choice.

I always enjoy food shopping, but I have to say I really love shopping at Hetu. I feel good about the choices I am making, and I am always discovering new products and ingredients, like the chocolate hazelnut bars I can’t live without and can’t believe are vegan! I do not live a zero-waste lifestyle yet, but I am more conscious of my actions and I do my best to reduce waste and support sustainable companies. Ignorance is not bliss! Think about your carbon footprint and the changes you can make to improve it.

All photos are from Hetu’s Instagram page @hetu_uk.