Portsmouth volunteers on a mission to create a plastic-free supermarket - but they need your help

A group of volunteers are hoping to soon set up shop in the near future, establishing The Package Free Larder in the heart of Southsea.

The shop, once open, would allow people to bring their own containers in to purchase dry goods and fresh fruit and veg, cutting out all the single-use plastic packaging that would previously go straight from the kitchen to landfill sites.

A committee of eight people are looking to crowdfund the store, which would operate as a non-profit social enterprise, supporting other environmental groups in the Portsmouth area.

Committee member Connie Fenner, 20, says the group has been working since September last year to get the project off the ground.

She said: ‘To begin with I didn’t know if a plastic-free supermarket would be possible, but talking to other people and the environmental organisations here in Portsmouth I saw that this is not only doable, but essential.

‘There are lots of organisations in Portsmouth that are taking the fight to plastic waste and we wanted to work alongside all of them.

‘Our goal is to become a one-stop-shop in Southsea, because there's a need for shops to start going plastic-free.’

The team behind The Package Free Larder believes that it’s crucial to take action to stamp out plastic waste from supermarkets for good.

Connie said: ‘This is so important for the city – once you open your eyes to how much we throw away, it’s hard to ignore.

‘With the poor recycling rates, I think people are fed up with throwing so much away.

‘I think the fact that there's not really anywhere else to shop completely plastic-free is an issue and it’s not helped by not being able to recycle everything in Portsmouth.

‘It's obviously much better for the planet to not put this stuff into the bin in the first place.’

The group is looking to crowdfund the store, needing £40,000 to start up the business.

People who want to contribute can go to www.crowdfunder.co.uk/packagefreelarder-portsmouth-s-first-plastic-free-community-shop.