FAQs | The Green Gram

Frequently Asked Questions

What containers should I bring? The best containers are the ones you already have! That might be a washing up or laundry liquid bottle, a plastic takeaway tub or lunchbox, a glass jar or an ancient genuine Tupperware! Although we can add to containers you haven't quite emptied, we recommend that you bring clean empties each time to ensure freshness. Containers for olive oil and rapeseed oil must be completely dry to avoid bacterial growth in the oil. If you have washed your oil bottle, please ensure all moisture has evaporated before refilling. When purchasing our cleaning products for the first time, we ask that you bring washed containers as mixing different formulations can cause chemical interactions that affect the quality of the products. Once you have our brand of cleaning product, it is fine to top up before you completely run out. To avoid accidental consumption, we do not recommend using drinks bottles or milk bottles for cleaning liquids.

Are your products organic? We have a mix of organic and conventionally produced foods. One of our key aims is to make refilling an affordable option for all, and organic products are often more expensive. However, we endeavour to offer a good range of organic items.

What brand of detergents do you sell? Our detergents and liquid cleaning products are supplied by SESI, a social enterprise which has been supplying ethical detergent refills since 2006. SESI products are biodegradable, safe for septic tanks, vegan and cruelty free. They are free from the harmful chemicals found in many major brands and are suitable for those with sensitive skin. SESI do not add unnecesary ingredients and their products do not contain lots of foaming agents. This means they don't produce as many bubbles as major brands - however it's not the bubbles that do the cleaning! You can buy a small amount to try before committing to a full bottle, but we think you'll love the range. Our non-bio laundry liquid and spiced ginger washing up liquid are best sellers!

I have food allergies - can I shop with you? The nature of a refill shop means that airborne food allergens can be present at any time. We have procedures in place to minimise the risk of cross contamination between products. However, it is not possible to eliminate the risk entirely. We therefore ask customers with allergies to consider the risk before purchasing from us. It is possible for any product to contain traces of gluten, dairy, eggs, nuts, peanuts, mustard, sesame, celery, soya or sulphur dioxide/sulphites. WE ADVISE THOSE WITH NUT OR PEANUT ALLERGIES AGAINST PURCHASING CHOCOLATE OR YOGHURT COVERED SNACKS.

Why don't you have longer opening hours or a click and collect option? We have a wonderful team of volunteers who generously give their time. At the moment we do not have the capacity to offer longer opening hours or a click and collect service. However, should it become possible in the future we would love to develop this. Watch this space...!