Environmentally-conscious residents can now get their food waste-free from a brand new refill store.

Ria-Plenish began as a market stall that sold eco-friendly household items, but as of today it is now a fully fledged shop in Brampton town centre.

The shop will be home to a variety of dry food that shoppers can refill their own jars with - cutting out unnecessary plastic use.

Maria Stundon, owner of Ria-Plenish, said: “It will mainly be dry foods so rice, pasta, nuts, flour, cereal.

“I’m going to try and do a confectionary area as well so there will be chocolate buttons and chocolate covered figs and dates - just so there is a sweet element really.

“That’s the going to be the main focus and then I have also still got the eco-friendly products as well, but I will introduce the refill cleaning products as well, so kitchen and bathroom supplies.”

It has been Maria’s dream for a long time to open up her own physical shop that sells products that encourage a more environmentally-friendly lifestyle.

From her shop, which is now based on Front Street on the main road leading into the town centre, that dream has become a reality.

Shoppers will also be able to influence what products are available in the shop.

“It’s going to be on quite a small scale to begin with, until I figure out what Brampton is after,” explained Maria.

“I have got a blackboard suggestion section for when customers leave; they can write on there a product that they are particularly interested in.

“If I get quite a few people wanting that product, I can get that in stock for the future.”

The middle of a pandemic is a difficult time to launch a new shop, but Maria has set out plans to ensure the safety of her shoppers.

Only one person at a time will be allowed into the shop; people have to sanitise their hands before they start shopping; Maria will wipe down all surfaces after they have been touched, and further down the line she is hoping to set-up a delivery service.

“I’m very excited but slightly anxious," she admitted, "because of the times that we’re in obviously, where we can’t open fully and I can only allow one customer at a time.

"It’s going to be pretty testing.

“I think it’s also positive because I can use that time to find my feet as well, and make sure that I’m giving the customers what they are actually looking for in a refill eco shop.”