Refillable Van, Kent

Name: Sue and Ian Bates

Mobile refill shop offering plastic free refills alongside responsibly sourced homewares and gifts.

Kent, UK

https://www.refillablevan.com/

@refillable_van

The Refillable Van offers a creative and accessible take on classic refill shops, housing a plethora of glass jars filled with pantry goods and canisters brimming with refillable liquids. Run by husband and wife team Sue and Ian Bates, the van serves the Kent community with a range of plastic free refills, homewares and earth friendly products sourced from responsible suppliers.

Jars filled with dry pantry goods sit are packed behind a wooden railing inside the van

Shocked by the volume of plastic waste coming from her weekly supermarket shop, Sue decided to buy the Refillable Van when it came up for sale in 2021 to take on the plastic pollution crisis head on. Her desire for a better system is evident from her commitment to making refills accessible. The van sees a lot of return custom, moving regularly form market to market, to encourage more people using refill systems.

Large canisters sit next to one another on the left had side of the van.

The van can be found in Thanet at the Cliftonville farmers market on the last Sunday of every month and at Radford house in Effingham Street, Ramsgate, every month too. Refillable Van also offers an at home delivery service to make refills more accessible to those who might struggle to get to a local refill shop.

Sue is in the back of the van with the rear two doors open, serving customers and refilling plastic containers with cleaning liquid.