Eco-friendly grocers in Singapore that help us eat better for the earth

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In a natural resource-scarce country like Singapore, adopting a planet-friendly diet may appear challenging. After all, what’s better than eating food grown as close to you as possible (something we lack on this little island)?

Still, there are many ways in which we can make small changes to what we eat and how we shop for food, starting with choosing grocery stores and purveyors who pay attention to sustainably grown produce and waste reduction.

The following are five stores that can help us do better through the quotidian acts of eating and shopping for food.

Scoop Wholefoods

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In Scoop Wholefoods outlets, customers are encouraged to bring your own containers and buy food and products that have not been pre-packaged. Which means you can buy only as much or as little cereal, rice, chocolate, peanut butter or eco-friendly detergent as you need.

The variety of products in Scoop’s stores is a real draw, with everything from ground-to-order nut butters and teeth whiteners, to dried fruit, cleaning products and cosmetics. According to the company, every product at Scoop is either biodegradable or made from recycled materials, which takes the guesswork out of eco-friendly shopping. Just remember to bring your own bags.

Unpackt

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Singapore’s first homegrown zero-waste bulk store, Unpackt describes itself as a social enterprise that supports other homegrown enterprises. Shop at its Jalan Kuras store or online for fresh groceries and dried foods such as nuts, fruit, coffee, chocolates and cereal, all of which are sold by weight.

Its selection also includes sauces, condiments, eco-friendly products like beeswax sheets and menstrual cups. Naturally, you are encouraged to bring your own bags and containers when shopping here too.

The Social Space

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Established by married couple Cheryl Ou and Daniel Yeow, The Social Space’s outlets are multi-concept stores that feature a café, fair trade retail area, and nail salon. Their hope is to inspire social impact champions to create an economy for good. That means offering a platform of opportunities for anyone to acquire skills and dignified employment and empowering individuals who face higher barriers to employment to gain long-term self-sufficiency.

At its store, you’ll find zero-waste essentials like foldable cups and bamboo dishes, refillable bath products and loofah kitchen sponges. There’s also a small range of baked goods that you can buy or enjoy at its two cafes in Kreta Ayer and Duo Galleria.

Avo & Co

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Founded in 2017 by brothers Clement and Cedric Chew, Avo & Co. is best known for its seasonal produce box. Each week, depending on their choices, subscribers receive a box containing a mix of sustainably sourced seasonal fruit and vegetables, staples like pasta and freshly baked bread, and proteins like chicken or fish.

Customers can swap out ingredients that they don’t want or adjust the frequency of these deliveries, or simply shop a la carte. More than anything, it is a convenient way to buy produce sold at their prime ripeness and packaged as little as possible.

Green Common

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This one-stop plant-based eatery, marketplace and product innovation platform is a treasure trove if you’ve been meaning to try a whole swathe of plant-based products on the market.

To support local communities, Green Common gives priority to products sourced from Hong Kong organic farms, social enterprises, SMEs and fair-trade organisations. There is plenty to sample here, from brands like Heura Foods (known for its plant-based chicken), Beyond Meat, Impossible, and Arlene ready-to-eat meals.

ALSO READ: Millennials very 'eh' about eating less meat or plant-based meats

This article was first published in Wonderwall.sg.