Melton’s first ever zero-waste shop set to open

A Little Less Waste will be part of the Melton Wellness House, on Burton Street, with an accent on selling locally-sourced products and eradicating unnecessary packaging.

It is the brainchild of Lucy Stones, who grew up in the Vale of Belvoir, and who worked as a nurse in London hospitals during the height of the coronavirus pandemic last year.

During that challenging time in her life Lucy says she realised that she wanted to help create a more eco-friendly future.

“We’ve had no control over many things that have happened over the last 18 months, but the climate crisis is something that we can actively do something about,” she said.

“My dream is to make sustainable shopping easy, friendly, and accessible.

“We not only need to change the way we live to be more sustainable, but to live healthier lifestyles.

“Covid has highlighted the importance of that.

“As well as affirming how vitally important local communities are.”

A Little Less Waste, which opens on Saturday November 13, will stock dried foods, household cleaning and personal hygiene products, most of which will come from farms and producers in the East Midlands.

Customers can bring their own containers, or buy reusable containers in store, to help minimise the amount of single-use plastic and unnecessary packaging shoppers are using.

Lucy, who is leaving nursing after five years to concentrate on the project, added: “Growing up in the Vale of Belvoir, I always loved the sense of the community.

“I have fond memories of shopping directly from farms or and collecting fresh fruit and veg from mum’s garden.

“A Little Less Waste is here to bring a sustainable way of shopping in Melton, while keeping things local and community driven.”

Consumers have recently been reminded that they must change the way they think about food and shopping, after CO2 supply issues in September meant potentially empty shelves.

Living more sustainably not only means buying locally but also only buying only what you need.

Commenting on the arrival of the new eco-conscious store, Georgia Barnes, founder of The Melton Wellness House: “This is a very exciting new addition for Melton Wellness House, and for the Melton Mowbray community as a whole.

“It supports many of the local initiatives and action for zero carbon communities which we’ve been part of as an establishment over the past three years.

“We welcome Lucy’s enthusiasm to our collaborative wellness community and know that she will be a valuable asset within our team of small resident businesses.

“We wish her every success with this wonderful venture.”