TEQUESTA, Fla. — With inflation at a 40-year high, finance experts say zero-waste grocery stores are helping people save money, while also helping the environment too.
Inflation has created a lot of financial stress for Floridians over the past few months, which is why some Floridians are making environmentally friendly choices that are also saving them some money.
“We have organic and local produce and so the ordering is available Wednesday, Thursday and Friday until noon," said Elana Smith, owner of One World Zero Waste. "Everything is available on our website. So, you go through and select what you want and you pick it up on Monday.”
From produce to home goods, One World Zero Waste has a wide variety of organic and vegan items.
“Everything is plastic free and in bulk. So, you can bring your own containers to refill them,” Smith said.
Along with produce, they also have rice, beans, nuts and many other food and household items.
“If you bring your laundry detergent jug and just keep refilling it, that way you stop getting more plastic and you can reuse and refill,” Smith said.
Smith told WPTV not only is this good for the environment, but it can help save you money too.
“Along with the bulk food, the price of packaging and labeling is not included" she said. "So, a lot of the time, you’re paying more for a package that might not even be full.”
Many zero-waste grocery stores are opening across South Florida.
“This is a very climate-friendly, earth-friendly business model,” said financial expert Carl Gould, who owns 7 Stage Advisors.
Gould told WPTV these stores are quickly gaining traction, with stores popping up all over the sunshine state.
“There has been more and more focus on what makes for a green earth, what will slow down climate change and really the awareness on the effects of our consumption,” Gould said.
There is another zero-waste store called Zuke’s Refillery that opened back in 2020 in Delray Beach.
Smith and her husband are also in the process of opening up a brand new One World Zero Waste location in Delray Beach in November.
“This is a health food store for you and the earth, so really a lot of value in that,” Smith said.