Refill Station Bulk Groceries

Refill station at the grocery co-op near campus lets me fill my own containers with pasta, rice, oats, olive oil, dish soap, and shampoo. The experience of scooping dried lentils from a gravity bin into a jar I brought from home is satisfying in a way that grabbing a sealed package off a shelf isn't. System works by weighing the empty container at the register, filling it, and paying by weight, with prices often cheaper than packaged versions because the store doesn't pay for individual packaging. Selection is limited to staples and bulk-friendly products, about 80 items compared to thousands at a regular store, but the items they do stock are the ones I buy most often. Eliminating packaging waste entirely for covered products is the appeal, and a month of refill shopping saved me about 15 plastic bags and containers.