Without any packaging at all?

A life entirely without packaging? Almost impossible. But minimising packaging material and optimising it at the same time? It’s possible! More and more supermarkets are opening across Germany where you can shop without packaging. Unpackaged shops: a trend!

Packaging and unpackaged – a contradiction?

But how does a packaging retailer, of all people, come up with the idea of writing about the relatively new movement of “unpacked shops”? Isn’t that a bit contradictory?

We think so: No. The idea behind the unpackaging concept is not to do without packaging altogether. Rather, it is to do without packaging where it is possible. To reduce the amount of packaging material used to a minimum that is necessary. And last but not least, to optimise the necessary packaging material in such a way that hardly any or ideally no waste is produced (zero waste).

Are the goods in the unpacked shop unpacked?

Hygiene is a must. Taking the grocery shop as an example, this means that fruit and vegetables are stored in easy-to-clean stacking boxes. Spices, rice and noodles are filled from so-called bulk bins directly into the storage containers brought along in exactly the desired quantity. Liquids are stored in canisters or glass containers. The purchased goods are then carried home, safely stowed in a bag or basket.

Packed for transport

In the case of unpacked shops, the customer picks up the goods himself – and virtually assumes the transport risk. But not all goods can be carried from A to B personally. Our customers often have no choice but to entrust their products to parcel services, postal providers and logistics companies for their sometimes very long journey.

Maximum protection – minimum packaging material

It is our task to protect the products in the best possible way during transport and shipping. In doing so, we not exactly seldom see the implementation of the old principle: “A lot helps a lot!”. This is true as far as the protection of the goods is concerned. But it is neither economical, nor is it environmentally friendly. The choice of the right packaging size in combination with the right filling and padding material is what many of our customer discussions are about. To put it simply, the smallest possible box helps to save postage and transport costs and also offers the best possible protection – with a minimum of filling and cushioning material.

We are satisfied if your product arrives safely. You are satisfied if you have to pay as little as possible for it. And everyone is helped if a minimum of packaging material has to be used.

Packaging recycling

Reducing packaging material is one thing. Optimising packaging material in terms of protective properties and recycling potential is the other. According to the Federal Environment Agency, the recycling rate of packaging in Germany is 69.9 % (year 2017). Paper and plastic packaging in particular achieved high recycling rates of over 99 % each.

Unpacked – Shops near you

We have listed here a small list of “Unverpackt” shops in Germany and Austria (without guarantee of completeness). There are alsounpacked shops in Switzerland, among others in Basel, Zurich, Aarau and Winterthur. And the number is constantly growing: in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Maybe there is one near you?

Berlin

original unpacked

Wiener Straße 16, 10999 Berlin

Bonn

Freikost Deinet

Rochusstraße 266, 53123 Bonn-Duisdorf

Dresden (since April 2014)

Lots Dresden

Böhmische Straße 14, 01099 Dresden

Graz (AT)

Health food store Branter

Gleisdorfergasse 10, 8010 Graz

Hanover

The raffle shop

Stefansplatz 13, Hanover/Südstadt

Heidelberg

Anna’s Unpackaged

Ladenburger Str. 37, Heidelberg

Innsbruck (AT)

Love & Lots

Herzog-Sigmund-Ufer 1-3, 6020 Innsbruck

Karlsruhe

Unpacked Karlsruhe

Bahnhofplatz 8, 76135 Karlsruhe

Kiel

unpacked

Kronshagener Weg 10, 24103 Kiel

Linz (AT)

holis market

Johann-Konrad-Vogel-Strasse 7-9, 4020 Linz

Mainz

unpacked

Kurfürstenstr. 49, 55118 Mainz

Munich

Plastic-free ZONE

Schloßstrasse 7, 81675 Munich/ Haidhausen

Münster

RETAIL – TO FILL YOU UP

Hammer Str. 52-54, 48153 Münster

Münster

Naturally unpacked

Warendorferstr. 63, 48145 Münster

Pforzheim

Schwäbisch Gmünd

regional and unpacked

Mühlbergle 11, 73525 Schwäbisch Gmünd

Trier

unpacked

Paulinstraße, 54290 Trier

Vienna (AT)

LUNZERS Custom Tear Shop

Heinestraße 35, 1020 Vienna