Plastic free and zero waste shop to open in Cranleigh providing eco-friendly shopping experience

A shop which aims to put the planet, people and provenance before profit is set to open in Cranleigh in March.
Vanessa Ford-Robbins, owner of For Earth's Sake - a new zero-waste, plastic-free set to open in Cranleigh SUS-191102-163039001Vanessa Ford-Robbins, owner of For Earth's Sake - a new zero-waste, plastic-free set to open in Cranleigh SUS-191102-163039001
Vanessa Ford-Robbins, owner of For Earth's Sake - a new zero-waste, plastic-free set to open in Cranleigh SUS-191102-163039001

For Earth’s Sake, based in High Street, will provide a zero-waste, zero single-use plastics shopping experience offering local produce, dried goods, chilled foods, and everyday household items using the most environmentally-friendly methods possible.

Vanessa Ford-Robbins, owner of For Earth’s Sake, said: “The shop’s primary goal is to reduce, as far as practicable and possible, the unnecessary waste that enters our environment through human consumption.

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“Our short-term aim is to foster a communal interest in zero-waste shopping and become a hub in Cranleigh for people, young and old, to shop ethically.

“We believe our customers to be like-minded individuals who are enthusiastic about protecting the planet and its animals.

“We want to involve younger generations and build a planet together that we can all be proud of, and we will aim to educate future generations about the numerous benefits of zero-waste shopping.”

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For Earth’s Sake is a not-for-profit Community Interest Company (CIC) that will reflect its commitment to both local people and the wider society in general.

The not-for-profit structure has been chosen so that For Earth’s Sake and its owners can reinvest any financial surplus back into the business, promote educational involvement and projects, and help it grow and provide a greater service to the local community.

Every aspect of the business will be dedicated to reducing our footprint on the environment and shifting the way we consume products in a more sustainable direction.

Vanessa added: “For Earth’s Sake will cover many of our customers’ daily needs.

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“Our products are carefully sourced, and provenance is key as is the elimination of single-use plastics.

“Our range includes local and regional fresh vegetables, gins and chocolate; dispensable rice, cereals, pasta and nuts; shampoo, conditioner, and household cleaning and hygiene products; tinned and chilled foods and fresh deli items.

“Packaging is a key issue for us, and our customers will be encouraged to bring their own clean containers to refill, and bags and baskets to re-use.

“Long-term use containers will be available in-store for those customers who would prefer to pay a deposit and re-use our ethically sourced options.”

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For Earth’s Sake is the shared vision of Vanessa Ford-Robbins, Nik Huddy and Charlie Edwards who all live in Cranleigh and are well known in the area.

Vanessa and Nik were featured on George Clarke’s Restoration Man (2013 and 2015).

Longhurst Lodge on Horsham Road, Surrey, which had been left abandoned for almost 50 years, was painstakingly restored over six years, with Vanessa and Nik learning many new crafts in the process; Vanessa is now a glass and leaded-window maker and restorer and Nik (BSc Hons BioTechnology) is rather good at making terracotta dragons.

Charlie Edwards, Nik’s nephew, will manage the store daily.

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Fluent in Mandarin and having been in China teaching and translating for six years, Charlie has been developing their venture of realising this eco-friendly shopping experience, with plastic-reduction, the elimination of single-use plastics and the reduction of carbon footprint at its heart.

Charlie said: “For Earth’s Sake is all about the journey towards zero-waste, and we know that whilst some of our customers may be well on their way towards this goal others will just be starting out on their journey.

“Our job is to help people be at ease with their shopping experience. We are here to assist and let people know that, even by making small changes in daily habits, they too can have a big impact on our planet and our society.

“And it’s not just about what our customers can buy with us; we are also happy to discuss changes they can make outside of shopping that can make a real difference in putting our planet first.”

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For Earth’s Sake can be found on Facebook and Instagram for more information.

The website www.forearthssake.com is currently under construction.