Shops and businesses across Swindon are embracing all things sustainable to mark this year's World Refill Day.
Held on Sunday, June 16, World Refill Day is a global movement where businesses and community groups encourage shoppers to be sustainable by reusing and refilling what they already have.
This year, shoppers in Swindon can use the award-winning Refill app to find over 80 places to eat, drink and shop which produce low waste.
The app lists over 50 locations that will be offering free water refills such as Nando's, The Beehive, Baristocats, The Savoy, and Greggs.
Businesses offering zero-waste shopping include the Beauty Kitchen at Holland and Barrett, Lush, Swindon Hub, The Olive Tree Cafe and Morrisons on Dorcan Way.
The Refill app shows all the best places to refill your items in Swindon, from water, food and household products. (Image: Refill Swindon)
On top of all this, local refill businesses really going the extra mile such as Lush, Weigh It Up, Ten Green Bottles, Refill Station and Purton House Organics have signed up to encourage customers to use less plastic.
A community litter pick will also take place at Rivermead at 10am on Sunday, June 16, as part of World Refill Day.
Explaining why this day is so important, environmental organisation City to Sea says that many people in the UK want to reduce single-use packaging, but simply can’t find reusable alternatives where they shop.
That's exactly why groups such as Refill Swindon have worked hard since forming in 2018 to map out free water refills, reusable cups, body care, and zero-waste shops, as well as greengrocers, bakeries, and take-away food offered in reusable lunch containers.
“It’s great to see the incredible work happening in Swindon to tackle plastic pollution," said Jane Martin, CEO at City to Sea.
"World Refill Day is designed to get people talking about the problem, and crucially to highlight the solutions and help people take action to reduce waste.
"As a global movement, we have the power to create a wave of change and show businesses, brands and governments that we need move away from single-use plastic and towards refill and reuse."
The Refill app has now been downloaded more than half a million times, and Refill Swindon hope that on this World Refill Day they can encourage even more Swindon locals to get involved and try out a new sustainable shop.
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