I shopped at an LA grocery store that uses zero plastic containers, unlike Trader Joe’s or Whole Foods, and I’m convinced it’s the future of how we’ll shop

Since opening in April 2020, the retailer, re_grocery, has grown to three locations.

“It was pretty scary,” said re_grocery cofounder Joseph Macrino about opening at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. 

“We were having a really hard time even getting the doors open because we couldn’t get through to the health department, but eventually, we persevered and pushed through,” he added.

re_grocery accomplishes its sustainable mission by allowing people to fill reusable containers with goods from the store.

The stores sell reusable containers, but customers are also encouraged to bring their own containers and glass bottles from home.

Unlike at a traditional grocery store, everything in the store is sold by weight, so you are not required to buy a fixed amount of product.

“There are definitely some challenges. The typical grocery store sells in units, and ours sell by weight, so inventory management is a very big part of our operation,” Joseph Macrino said. 

I recently visited re_grocery’s Studio City location and was impressed with what I saw.

The store was trendy and carried every type of dry good I would normally buy at a grocery store.

It even carried cleaning products, shampoos, and conditioners.

Some shampoos, conditioners, and body lotions that normally come in a plastic dispenser were sold as solid bars and wrapped in paper.