What should I check before buying a refill or zero waste store?

A refill store sells soaps, cleaners and personal-care products from drums and dispensers, so customers bring their own containers and take home only what they need. The business depends on a handful of supplier relationships, some specialized equipment and a loyal community. Those are the things to examine first, and they are different from what you would check in a store that sells packaged goods only.

Supplier and drum-return arrangements

Ask who supplies the refills and how empty drums are collected, cleaned or returned. Find out whether the arrangement is written down, whether it belongs to the owner personally and whether the supplier must agree to continue after a sale. Ask whether the store can restock its core products on the same terms.

Dispensers, containers and jar lending

Walk the shop and look at the dispensers, pumps and shelving. Ask their age, who services them and what a replacement would involve. If the store lends jars or runs a container deposit program, ask how many containers are out with customers, how they are tracked and what the store owes back when someone returns one. Those obligations can sit outside the books.

Product mix and other income

Ask how sales divide between refills, packaged goods and anything else, such as workshops or an online shop. Ask how each product line fits the store’s offer. Check that any online sales or classes can continue under new ownership, and ask your accountant how to read the figures once you have them.

Who the customers follow

• Do regulars come for the shop, the products or the owner personally?
• Does the store have a mailing list, loyalty records or social following that transfers?
• Will the owner stay for a handover period?
• What do the lease terms say about renewal and about a change of operator?

A shop that sells food from bins raises extra questions about stock and pests, and our page on checking a health food store shows how one similar shop is reviewed. Ask your lawyer about the labelling and product rules for the items the store sells.