A MENAI Bridge shop couple are making a stand to reduce the amount of packaging and plastic in the environment.

Slates general food store on Bridge Street, is offering a new service, thought to be the first of its kind on Anglesey, where customers bring in their own food containers and bottles to fill up with provisions and household products.

Customers weigh out and buy as little or as much as they need, with everything from breakfast cereals to pulses, rice to herbs and spices, baking goods, fruits, nuts, soaps and shampoo, and eco-friendly cleaning products.

Shop owners Dan and Cherise Hunt, who moved to the area six years ago, were inspired to set up the service after watching David Attenborough's Blue Planet series on TV. The show highlighted problems of plastics affecting land and wild life and the environment.

Dan said: "We live on a smallholding, it seemed a no brainer to set up a 'packaging free' side of our shop business.

"We are both strongly eco minded. When we saw David Attenborough's Blue Planet showing how we humans, and our plastic waste is adversely affecting the environment, it just spurred us on to put our packaging free refill idea forward."

He added: "We are in an area where there are lots of students, and they love the idea.

"They are of the generation which is already tuned in to environmental and plastic issues. We started the new service about two weeks ago, and we have had very good response."

Dan and Chenise opened the shop two years ago. Dan is a former Co-op store manager, with a background in ethical retail.

He added. "The advantage of our service is that you can get as much as you need, there is no waste, which is ideal for people who live alone and don't want to buy large amounts that would get wasted. People can recycle containers also meaning less waste in their bins."

Dan and Cherise are also keen to hear from local suppliers. Contact: 01248 712625