returnable reusable
we collect our packaging for reuse
Leave it out for collection with your next delivery.
That means your flat-packed boxes, cooler boxes, pouches and ice pack water bottles. Thank you!
Together we're minimising waste with circular solutions, creativity and a good dose of teamwork.
At Fair Food we’re mindful of our collective impact and are always improving processes to minimise waste. From our returnable packaging that’s reused many times over, to our refillable products and create waste solutions, we make it easier to use less and do more.
Can packaging be fairer?
Cardboard boxes
Reused as many times as possible. It takes a lot of water and energy to make these simple boxes, so it makes a HUGE impact just by returning your box for reuse.
Flatten carefully and leave out for drivers to collect on their next visit.
Unbranded boxes can also be returned. Please leave these as they are (unflattened) – our drivers will collect if there’s room!
Insulated coolers
Our new returnable cooler boxes keep your chilled groceries totally cool in 100% recyclable wood pulp.
Especially hot days or large items may still require our white reusable ‘broccoli boxes’, which come in from broccoli growers.
Give all coolers back to your driver straight away or leave out for them to collect on their next visit.
Insulated pouches
Made in Australia from 100% recycled paper and newspaper, these are wonderful for keeping small items chilled.
Please open the tape carefully to keep these in circulation as long as possible.
Give the pouch back to your driver straight away or leave out for them to collect on their next visit.
Water bottle ice packs
Plastic water bottles, though a ubiquitous problem, remain quite useful in our context. They’re (almost endlessly) reusable as our frozen ice packs, and they’re long lasting, cost effective and widely recyclable.
We’ll keep looking to innovate, but until we find a better system we’ll continue using them.
If you receive refrigerated items with a water bottle ice pack, make sure you send the cooler and water bottle back for another round!
Eco-cello bags
Mostly used to pack our loose leaf greens, pine nuts and desiccated coconut, these plastic free bags are made from wood cellulose and are fully home compostable. They’re great to get fresh spinach and roquette out to you, but are too breathable for storage so transfer your leaves into a sealed container to retain freshness.
Home compostable.
Visit Fruit and Veg Storage Guide
Note – Council FOGO / green waste collections do not currently accept home compostable packaging. Check with your local council as green waste services may change.
Twist tie packs
Restocking the pantry with our plastic free wholefoods is a simple way to cut out single use plastics from your weekly shop. All our bulk nuts, pulses and grains are packed in Detpak reusable paper bags which are fully biodegradable and council compostable.
Remove the tin-tie* before adding to your organics/green waste waste bin (depending on your council guidelines).
*The metal tin-tie is reusable and recyclable.
CERES Bakery bags
Our very own bakery is the only bread in our range that sports paper packaging. Avoid single use plastic and enjoy our favourite sourdough – win win!
Compostable and recyclable.
Perforated cardboard wrap
Fragile items, such as eggs and glass bottles, are protected with our in-house perforated wrap. This utilises cardboard coming into the warehouse and makes sure your groceries arrive safe and sound.
Compostable and recyclable.
Label and packing slip
Delivery labels and packing slips are full of handy info for our packing and delivery teams.
Currently the backing of these labels and slips is a plastic product that can not be recycled – we are working to find new plastic free adhesive printables.
Refillable products
Returning for refill saves more than just money.
We love delivering products that are designed for a long, sustainable life. We collect this packaging, get it refilled and back into circulation! Support these great waste-wise businesses and help create a clever, closed loop household with every delivery.
Schulz Organic Dairy milk in glass
Organic, non-homogenised, single herd, full cream milk. Delivered in glass and refilled at the farm. Since it’s launch, we’ve delivered over 40,000 glass milk bottles, saving tonnes of plastic from landfill!
Schulz – 1L organic milk in glass
Fair Fizz soda cylinders
Can Fizz Be Fairer? It sure can – make your own sparkling water with our cost effective, plastic free refills. Refizzed by us at our Preston warehouse, and delivered with your groceries. Endless refreshment.
Fair Fizz – Locally fizzed soda cylinders
Dirt Laundry refills
Dirt’s innovative thinking makes laundry day a dream. Buy refills of their concentrated, Earth friendly laundry liquids, and we’ll pick up the empty refill pouches for Dirt to reuse.
Dirt – Laundry liquid pouches
Dr Planet bulk Castille soap
Make the most of your multipurpose liquid soap by having bulk delivered to your door (by us!), and letting Dr Planet reuse their sturdy containers.
Dr Planet – 1L and 2.5L bottles
Packaging levy
Your contribution helps us to provide a full range of plastic free, compostable and returnable packaging that is future focussed and used many times over, including our cardboard boxes, eco-cello bags and insulated coolers and pouches.
Together we can deliver fresh quality groceries with circular systems that reflect our values and vision for a fairer future.
*The $1 levy applies to every delivery.
*‘Recurring orders’ paid upfront will include a $1 levy per delivery.
*The levy is applied to cart before delivery fees or minimum spend are calculated. 
warehouse soft plastics
Recycling and upcycling the packaging we can't avoid.
Reground
Since March 2022 we have been redirecting and recycling our warehouse* soft plastics with thanks to the team at Reground. The soft plastics that we receive in our warehouse are collected and recycled into innovative building film. Utilising this resource instead of it ending up in landfill or the ocean is a huge undertaking, and we are so appreciative of Reground’s work. *Please note, unfortunately Reground does not have capacity to accept consumer soft plastics.
A snapshot from our current impact report:
Aoracreo
Cesar is the artist behind Aoracreo, a creative label that makes bags and wallets using upcycled soft plastic. Cesar has been working with plastics since RMIT Industrial Design studies in 2011. The bright coloured plastics that our carrots and bananas come in are put to great use in his innovate designs. You can find Aoracreo at many local markets, including the CERES Makers and Flea Market, Brunswick East!
Some of Cesar’s designs:
