The manager of a new plastic-free, ethical convenience store in Canterbury says she hopes the business will be “more than just a shop”.

Catherine Parker, who will run The Refillery in Sun Street, Canterbury, confirmed the new venture will open its doors on Saturday, April 22.

The unique shop invites customers to stock up on refillable goods like pasta, shampoo and even alcohol using their own containers.

“We want to be accessible to everyone no matter what, it’s not designed to be intimidating or confusing,” said the mother of two.

“We want to make plastic-free, ethical shopping available in Canterbury city centre, we want to encourage people to reuse and refill containers they have at home to avoid using single-use plastic.

“I don’t think it’s possible in the 21st century to live a truly zero-waste lifestyle unless you live in a cave but we can do what we can to limit the damage we do.”

The Refillery was founded in Edinburgh in 2019 by Kelly Wright to reduce the need for plastic packaging and support organic produce.

The new store will focus on dried goods including pasta, cereal and rice, with toiletries such as shampoo and conditioner also on offer.

Containers and paper bags can also be bought in store.

Having applied for an alcohol licence from Canterbury City Council, it is even hoped refillable wine and cider will be available.

“We are definitely completely free of single-use plastic, and the plastic bins we use can be reused and we’re dedicated to minimising waste,” said Catherine.

“Everything will be ethical, they’re from suppliers who we trust, our whole supply chain is vetted to make sure everything is produced responsibly.

“The refill system helps to avoid food wastage. You only need to come as much as you need rather than pre-packaged amounts that can sit in the back of your cupboard being unused.”

The property in Sun Street was previously home to the Dog Store, which moved into a bigger premises in Hersden earlier this year.

It is claimed the brand has saved more than 1 million pieces of plastic from being recycled or sent to landfill in its four years of business.

With single-use products reported to make up about half of the world’s plastic production, Catherine is keen to see people educated on the issue.

She told KentOnline: “I want us to be a centre point for the community, where people can share tips and advice on reducing your carbon footprint, producing low-waste meals, where people can offer more knowledge on the challenges we face.

“We can be a local hub for the mission, engage with activist groups, possibly with local schools too, reach out to local producers to stock the shop.

“There’s a lot of goodwill, a lot of people have said to me about how they try to do well but know they can do a bit more. We’re not addicted to plastic but we’re addicted to convenience.

“We want to help people on their own journey to change the way they shop. We want to be more than just a shop.”

The launch has been timed to coincide with International Mother Earth Day, and it is hoped that an official launch day on April 29 will be visited by Mayor Anne Dekker.

The Canterbury site will be The Refillery’s fourth store in the UK, and the first south of the Scottish border.

Catherine, who has lived in Canterbury for the past 10 years with her teenage daughters, believes the business will benefit the city.

“I’ve worked for charities for the last 15 years, so I wanted to do something that is a good cause, it matters to me, it’s beneficial to people," she said.

“The founder Kelly and I have worked to see what would do well here, we’ve developed it together to see how it’ll fit in Canterbury.

“I like the area, I love the vibes.

“It’s so full of character. Our shop fits really nicely with what’s around and it’s a part of the town that gets a lot of footfall.

“All the soundings from my teenage kids, wider family and local friends agreed the concept is an important one and The Refillery brand is on-point for Canterbury’s needs.”