Sustainability

BE PART OF THE SOLUTION

The Covered Market is proud to have many businesses for whom operating as sustainably as possible has formed a part of their values for years.

Now even more of our established businesses are adjusting their practices and it’s important that all new businesses joining the market include sustainability as one of their core values. Below we’ve put together an example of just some of the ways you can shop, eat and drink more sustainably at our market. We hope you can now enjoy our market even more.

Local Produce

For locally grown fresh produce look no further than the vast array of seasonal fresh fruit and vegetables available from Bonners. Their incredible variety of fresh produce will refresh your home cooking. Nearly all their produce has no packaging apart from the paper bags you carry your purchases home in. They also reuse the majority of their packing trays.  You’ll find most of our market traders are keen to prioritize local suppliers.  At peak growing season iScream even offers an exchange of 1 free litre of gelato for homegrown fruits.

At David John Butchers most of their meat is carefully prepared on site which also keeps packing down to an absolute minimum. They also hand-make their delicious pies on-site again keeping freshness up and packaging and transport miles down.

Healthy eating

The Alpha Bar have been operating in our market for well over 10 years. Their famously delicious healthy salad bowls and stew are all made from locally sourced organic ingredients. Takeaway packaging has always been cardboard and cutlery is wooden. Any condiments are added at a counter and not provided in small packages.

Minimal mileage

Being right in the city centre a vast majority of our traders deliver a lot of their goods either on foot or by bike. Bonners stock a vast array of produce from farmers just a few miles away and deliver much of their catering orders on foot with trolleys. We have also provided two electric EAV delivery bikes for traders to train and use, or to use via Velocity. To top it all you’ll find lots of the produce you can buy and consume at the Market is made on-site.

Minimal packaging

You’ll have already noticed that minimal packaging has become a bit of theme for our traders. Most now serve their produce and take away dishes in paper packaging or other biodegradable forms. It’s not all about food either, The Oxford Soap Company use carefully selected packaging for their exquisite soaps that are also locally made with the majority of their ingredients from local organic sources.

Treat yourself

If you want to buy ice cream to store at home without plastic, head to iScream. Their home-made gelato is available in 500ml, 750ml and 1 litre cardboard packages – and they do sorbet as well as vegan gelato options too. If you live locally they will deliver free via our EAV bikes delivery service straight to your door hassle free. Owner Graham also uses lots of locally grown ingredients with many picked from his own garden. Customers can also bring in fruits from their gardens they offer a free litre of gelato in exchange – check out the seasonal crop of greengage gelato he makes from a regular customer.