ecological disposable materials for take away and other good practices

While we do not go back to reusable packaging for the take-away service at Mercearia Bio Café in Portimão and Lagos, we use for this service ecological disposable cups and packaging that are made from plants, with renewable materials, with a lower carbon emission, even with recycled or recovered materials, which, due to their composition, are 100% biodegradable, and must be disposed of in organic waste so that they can be sent for composting.

We also try not to use packaging that may be unnecessary and, whenever possible, reuse boxes and other elements to replace new packaging.

Some examples of what we practice...

Yogurts come in support boxes where they fit, boxes that we reuse to support cups in the take away service.
Some fruits come packaged and we try to use the cardboard boxes to put, for example, slices of pie, pies, among others.
For those who drink coffee with sugar to take away, we provide a glass sugar bowl and a stainless steel spoon to stir the sugar, we do not have take away spoons or other utensils for this purpose.
We recently started charging for disposable cups, not only to cover the costs associated with these products, but because we began to notice that many visitors ordered coffees and juices to take away, but then ended up consuming them on the spot. Having an associated cost, one always think twice if the disposable is really necessary...
We always have cardboard boxes available for Customers to take their shopping and we always encourage Customers to do so instead of buying paper bags. However, it is best to bring your own bags.
Even better than using sustainable and more environmentally friendly materials is not using them at all. In the case of straws, for example, we do not have them at all available, not even disposable ones, made of cardboard or other material, because as far as we are concerned it is an unnecessary waste.
Many of the practices that we are adopting are the result of ideas and suggestions given by our Customers, Friends and Partners, so if you have more suggestions of good practices, we are here to evaluate, welcome and implement them.