This is the first organic, package-free store in the Hertsmere area
For a weekly round up of all the latest food, drink and entertainment news, as well as the best things to do in Hertfordshire sign up to our newsletter
We have more newsletters
The creation of plastic was revolutionary in 1907 – but now it's harming our planet. A century later after its creation, the population is absorbed in plastic and the Earth is screaming for help.
Campaigners hope to scrap environmentally unfriendly items and urge everyone to be more ethical and eco-friendly. More and more people all over the country seek hope for a better future.
Even in Hertfordshire, thousands of people are trying to raise awareness of the problem and encourage their neighbours to change their habits. One of these people is Vishal Jain, a 38-year-old business owner who didn't realised how bad the plastic problem was for many years, but now aims to change people's perception by running Vimi Eco Store in Radlett.
READ MORE: 15 spooky Halloween events taking place in Herts this month
Bushey resident, Vishal said: "I had a career of selling plastic for 10 years before, all reusable and such but I never realised how bad the problem was. This was over Christmas dinner in 2017, me and my friend were talking and he says to me that he's going to go plastic-free next year as his New Year resolution.
"I was like, 'what are you talking about?'. I was not aware how bad plastic was to the environment and to the human health."
It was a "complete shock" for Vishal after he did some digging and discovered things online. He says it was like a "wake-up call" for him and his family. As the man was born into a Jain family, he believes in the Indian principle of Ahimsa, which centres around non-violence and not causing harm to other humans and the environment.
Vishal continued said: "When I looked into it, I could connect to the whole idea of Jainism, Ahimsa and Aparigraha, which means only consume what you need. This is where I could find a connection and hence why we opened a store, where customers can buy things in a plastic-free manner so that sea animals and other species are not killed by ingesting plastic which is used and thrown in the ocean."
Initially, Vishal tried to sell his idea at various market locations in London. He tried the South Bank, Camden and Portobello markets, but then the pandemic hit and his plan was pushed to the side.
Luckily in July 2021, the businessman tried once again and opened Vimi Eco Store in Radlett. The store's title comes from two names – Vishal and his wife's name Mitali.
“It was a conscious decision that I will pursue a challenging journey," Vishal said. "Our vision is to provide everyone, the already-environmentally-conscious as well as the ones that might not yet know about how much fun a plastic-free or even zero-waste lifestyle can be, with the knowledge they need to make better choices for themselves and the beautiful environment we have the honour to live in.
"We came up with a store where customers can bring their own containers and collectively reduce on waste. It has its own challenges. It's such a new way of shopping. Everyone is so used to going to a supermarket and just picking up a pack, it's so different.
"We are trying to reduce the gap between convenience and consciousness by offering different services." Despite the whole idea of an eco store not being new, it is definitely something different from typical stores around the Hertsmere area.
Vimi Eco Store is Hertsmere's first organic and package-free store. The shop offers a "truly eco-friendly way to consume food such as nuts, seeds, beans and oil by refilling these daily essentials".
Vimi Eco Store offers a wide range of food, body care products, household cleaning and other lifestyle essentials. Customers can simply enter the shop and choose what they need or order them online. The store offers over 200 food products and over 200 body care and cleaning products altogether. Starting from cereals, dried fruits and pasta to laundry detergents and botanical wax melts.
The owners hope to raise awareness of the local community and look forward to the future. If there is any campaign they could be a part of, or if other people have ideas for new products they could sell, they are open for any suggestions.
"We have a lot of learning from the store, once we get the right formula of what works we definitely wanna be of more service to the community around us," Vishal said.
"If you know of any fantastic products that we do not currently sell or if there is an item you’d like a sustainable solution for, we’d love to hear from you and we shall endeavour to find you the perfect, sustainable, plastic-free alternative."
READ NEXT:
Woman airlifted to hospital following serious lorry crash in Stevenage
Horse dies after crash in Welwyn Garden City
Google Maps shows creepy abandoned mansion in Herts
St Albans restaurant's survival put at risk as bills set to skyrocket
All of the ways the Royal Mail Strikes will impact Hertfordshire residents