Lucy's commitment to retail is uncontained

Lucy Watters, owner of Weigh To Go, a new plastic-free store opening on Crichton Place, Leith Walk

Rather than moving with the times, she is determined to turn the clock back as part of her crusade to make everyday shopping more sustainable.

Next week sees the opening of Weigh To Go, her new plastic-free grocery store on Crichton Place, Leith Walk.

Store cupboard staples and dried goods, such as rice, pasta, cereals and nuts, will all be sold from jars, with customers invited to bring their own refillable containers.

Eggs will be sold individually and milk will be sold in glass bottles, both sourced from local suppliers. The refill option will also be available for toiletries and household cleaners.

Lucy hopes customers will find the model to be cost-effective as well as eco-friendly and waste-reducing.

“The aim is to sell products that are affordable and organic because everyone should be able to shop this way, including those on a tight budget,” she says, as she prepares for the grand opening on Tuesday.

Now 31, Lucy learned the ropes of independent retailing working with dad Andy in his record shop, Vinyl Villains, on nearby Elm Row. As a fan of the New Leaf Co-op in Marchmont, she wanted to create something similar when setting up her own business.

“I love Leith Walk and like to shop there, but there was nowhere selling goods without all the packaging. I was also concerned about the number of supermarkets moving in, while a lot of the smaller shops were closing down,” she adds. “It’s just about doing things the way we did years ago when I first started shopping with my gran. If it worked then, there must be scope to do it now. The boom in plastic has only come about since the 1960s, so why not take a step back?”

Initially, the shop will be open seven days a week, 9am to 6pm.