Can I bring my own containers ?

Yes absolutely! We would encourage you to use whatever you have at home that can be refilled. Glass jars, plastic tupperware, produce bags, anything goes! The only thing we insist upon is that it's empty (we can't top up whats already in there), clean, dry and fit for purpose. Just weigh them empty using our scales, then get filling!

Is plastic prohibited in the shop ?

No definitely not. We are not plastic haters we just believe that plastic should not be single use or used unnecessarily. If you have plastic items already you should use them as much as you can before you try and recycle them.

What if I forget my containers ?

For food items, we always have lots of paper bags available for you to use! They're food-safe and made from 100% recycled paper (tree free!). Use the paper bags to refill all of your airtight jars and containers at home, and then reuse the paper bags, recycle them, or compost them ! Yes! We have a big range of 'forever' bags, bottles and jars that you can invest in to bring back over and over again.

What if I overfill ?

At first it can be tricky to refill items, however you will quickly get used to this. To start with just put a small amount in at a time or you can ask a member of staff to fill for you.   If you do make a mistake and overfill we cannot cannot return the stock due to risk of cross contamination. Therefore you will be expected to pay for it.

Is refilling safe & hygienic ?

Yes, we were awarded 5 stars during our Food Hygiene inspection which is maintained through rigirous cleaning and adherence to strict instore policies (and with your help). Most of our dispensers are gravity fed, which means what goes in first comes out first. We refill all our products during low traffic times with designated equipment to reduce contamination. Our scoop bins hold products that sell quicker and hold a smaller amount so they are emptied and washed regularly between batches, as are the gravity bins. Each batch is recorded so that we always know exactly what's in each dispenser, where it has come from and what the shelf life is. Everything in the shop is cleaned throughout the day and every evening. All scoops, tongs and funnels are sanitised every evening and throughout the day when required. We ask you to familarise yourself with our 'clean' and 'dirty' equipment to assist. We do request that you wash your hands before interacting with the shop, only bring in clean containers and use a funnel if using your own container (this prevents cross contamination with the dispensers).  

What about allergens and ingredients ?

While Nil Living take great care to store and package all products in accordance with strict food hygiene regulations, allergens including but not limited to : celery, cereals containing gluten, crustaceans, eggs, fish, lupin, milk, molluscs, mustard, peanuts, sesame, soya, sulphur dioxide and sulphites, and tree nuts may be present in our shop and the Grainger Market. These can be present in the form of granules, dust and / or airborne particles. No allergen, nutritional or ingredient information on our website should be considered a guarantee. If you have questions about allergens please get in touch.