As the movement towards sustainable living gains momentum, communities across New Hampshire are embracing refill stores, not just as retail spaces but as centers of conscious consumerism.

The latest addition to the state’s refill stores is Live Free Refillery, located in Bedford. This store, which held a grand opening on Thursday, is pitching itself as the state’s first zero-waste grocery store.

Several stores across New Hampshire have already introduced refillable products to cater to customers’ desires while also reducing cost and waste, while Live Free Refillery has taken it a step further by basing its entire business model on the concept.

Refill stores provide a solution for individuals looking to reduce plastic usage while supporting local small businesses, as most of these establishments are independently owned.

Customers at refill stores have the flexibility of bringing their own containers and purchasing precisely the quantities they want of various goods, like everyday grocery items, cleaning supplies and body care products (think cereal, sprays and soaps). At supermarkets, customers must purchase fixed quantities of products, which can be too much or too little – and they come in all types of different hard-to-recycle packaging (think produce packaged in foam and wrapped in plastic). Some refill stores even offer free containers for customers.

The main goal of refill stores is to reduce single-use plastic packaging and other materials like food wrappers and even cardboard boxes that end up in landfills.

“We are offering food items free of packaging because a lot of our plastic packaging is affiliated with food, whether it’s takeout, cutlery or getting a cup of coffee,” said Juliette Buelle, the owner of Live Free Refillery.

Last year, Alyssa McKeon launched Witching Hour Provisions in Hopkinton — an establishment that combines a refill store that roasts and sells its own coffee. The eco-friendly, resealable coffee bags compost in six months rather than lasting decades in a landfill.

“Some big businesses choose not to package their items in compostable packaging, which is why we need to keep purchasing those things from the small makers to show that this is what we want,” said McKeon.

There’s a common assumption that living sustainably or embracing a zero-waste lifestyle breaks the bank. But that’s not always true.

At refill stores, most products are in line with what you find in supermarkets under brand names. The price variance might only be a slight one – a few cents up or down – but it’s typically on par with the existing options.

“Environmentally friendly products are often assumed to be expensive, but that’s not the case,” said McKeon. “There is a way to be environmentally friendly and have it cost nominal but there’s also a way to be environmentally friendly and not have it cost nominal.”

With the increased environmental awareness, a growing number of individuals are beginning to transition to shopping at refill stores.

The customer base at Bona Fide, a refill store situated in Concord that also offers eco-friendly products and unique New Hampshire gifts,has continued to grow ever since the store opened in 2020, according to manager Pam Marrone.

“Customers like the idea of the refill because they’re not purchasing another container that’s just going to end up in a landfill or we think is getting recycled,” said Marrone. “The products that we carry here at our store, also better for the environments, the ingredients themselves. It’s a win-win: We’re having less waste, but we’re also having much better ingredients in the products that we carry.”

Buell said the idea for the Live Free Refillery stemmed from her agricultural background and her experience working in fields and with farmers.

“I was looking for a way to bring local agriculture into the area and also promote the zero waste movement,” said Buell. “I feel that both things go hand in hand with helping to make a better environment by reducing packaging waste and also supporting local farms and organic agriculture.”

Other refill stores in New Hampshire:

■The Refill Station, Portsmouth

■Replenish Refillery, Dover

■Concord Food Co-op, Concord

■Monadnock Green Shop, Hillsborough

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