Gabriela Barroso
Universidad de Monterrey
Consuelo Garcia-de-la-torre
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Terra Refill's innovation mainly focuses on the way its products are packaged and sold. They implemented the idea of having a “Zero waste” store, which basically means not producing garbage, mainly from the sale of their products. This concept is something that has already been implemented in countries such as the United States and amongst many in Europe, but here in Mexico it is part of a completely new market.
The way they handle the sale of products is to offer clients the products packaged in a reusable container such as glass jars or cloth bags. This, with the aim that when people go to buy the products they carry with them the reusable containers and that way the use of single-use wrappers will be eliminated.
They implemented the idea of having a “Zero waste” store, which basically means not producing garbage, mainly from the sale of their products. This concept is something that has already been implemented in countries such as the United States and amongst many in Europe, but here in Mexico it is part of a completely new market.
The way they handle the sale of products is to offer clients the products packaged in a reusable container such as glass jars or cloth bags. This, with the aim that when people go to buy the products they carry with them the reusable containers and that way the use of single-use wrappers will be eliminated.
During her study trip abroad, one of the founders learned that small actions generate a great impact. Upon arriving in Mexico, she realized that the country lacked many new things to grow and help the environment. It was in Sydney where she learned to separate garbage waste which was common and a norm in that city.
Discovering the great damage caused by single-use plastics, she began to look for how to avoid using them and agrees with a friend (her current business partner) to create a company whose main objective was to eliminate all packaging of the products we consume.
The overall impact that Terra Refill has as a company towards the planet is positive. Its main focus is based on the following UN Development goals: sustainable cities and communities, responsible consumption and production, and climate action. We can see this impact as it is a company that focuses on the well-being of the environment to improve the way in which we as consumers make our purchases. The impact Terra Refill wants to have as a company is to raise awareness among its consumers through the "Zero Waste" movement; this means generating as little waste as possible.
Part of Terra Refill's mission is to generate a positive impact within the environment, not only are its products friendly and sustainable, but also the type of system they try to use to run their business is sustainable, since it focuses on the concept of a circular economy. Everything you find inside the store is free of plastics and focused on reducing, recycling and reusing. All of their products are local and everything from the way they are packaged distributed and discarded is planned in such a way that it tries to reduce its ecological footprint in general.
Terra Refill was founded with the purpose of generating this positive impact on the environment, society and economy. The impact on the environment by focusing on reduce, reuse, and recycle. Its economical impact is by creating jobs and promoting local products, and socially it generates awareness among its consumers. This has been done little by little by creating a community that is aware of these processes and, likewise, teaching new clients this type of concept. They are aware that it is a new concept and is not yet part of the culture in society in Monterrey, so they want to move forward creating a bigger impact by teaching this lifestyle within the city.
As mentioned earlier, Terra Refill mainly seeks to help the environment by avoiding product packaging. The environment is helped by not using these non-disposable packaging as plastics, as its use and production are avoided.
It is not only a benefit to the environment, since its products are organic, it is improving the health of consumers. By buying in this store, you support fair trade between local suppliers, since most of the products are of Mexican and local origin therefore reducing the carbon footprint used to move the products
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Terra Refill is a store and a zero waste space, located in Plaza 401 in Av. Calzada del Valle, San Pedro Garza García. NL, México .
Its objective is to eliminate all packaging that contains the products that we consume on a daily basis that we can find in our pantry. The store focuses on selling everything in bulk and seeks that the consumer reuses their own containers and carry only what is necessary, therefore encouraging them to be part of their “zero waste community”.
It offers more than 600 products among which are: flours, seeds, legumes, condiments, nuts, sweets, household cleaning items and personal hygiene for babies / men / women, amongst others.
