First permanent zero-waste grocery store opens in Vancouver

It’s a first in the city of Vancouver: a permanent zero-waste grocery store.

The Soap Dispensary on Main St. has been running for six years, but only now is it delving into package-free grocery shopping.

She said the food at her store has no disposable packaging, so people can bring their own containers and jars to take produce home.

“More and more people are aware of the problem of plastic in our ocean. More and more people are just wanting a more sustainable way to shop. So I think that’s just going to keep growing,” said owner Linh Truong.

The city has seen a few temporary zero-waste stores, but Truong’s store is the first permanent one.

WATCH: Canada’s first zero-waste grocery store opens on Salt Spring Island, B.C.

2:08 Canada’s first zero-waste grocery store opens on Salt Spring Island, B.C.

“We really hope that the city takes some real action on waste because from their studies you can see it’s pretty terrible how much we waste and how much unnecessary waste we’re generating.”

The City of Vancouver has a goal to half the amount of solid waste going to the landfill or incinerator compared to 2008 levels.

Canada’s first permanent zero-waste grocery store opened on Salt Spring Island on September 2016.