Sustainability

At Cotswold Veg Box, we take environmental issues very seriously. We are by no means perfect, but we always consider our impact on the planet with every decision we make.

Packaging

Nothing infuriates us more than seeing unnecessary plastic packaging. A banana has its own skin and a broccoli does not need to be wrapped in plastic. We’ll only ever send produce to you in plastic if it’s been deemed necessary by the grower, think spinach and little gem etc.

We will also never add any extra plastic packaging to your boxes. All of the packaging we add is recyclable and made with recycled materials wherever possible.

Waste

None of the waste we produce goes to landfill. Our cardboard is processed for recycling at a local plant and our general waste is used to provide energy for the national grid.

We’re also proud to say that we generate very little food waste. We order very specifically from our suppliers each week, only buying what we need to fulfill your orders. Any extras we have are donated to local foodbanks and anything that ends up a little past its best is given to feed the animals on a farm in our village.

Food miles

We prioritise local farmers and suppliers wherever possible. The majority of our produce is grown within a 15 mile radius and topped up by farmers around the country when necessary. By getting our produce directly from farmers, you’ll notice the difference in freshness and therefore shelf life. Our boxes do also include exotic fruit such as oranges and lemons year round however we have a British seasonal box if you’re looking for UK only produce.

Recycling

There is a lot of cardboard involved in the distribution of fruit and veg. We always make sure to bundle this up and send it to be recycled and also return any plastic/wooden crates used by our suppliers so they can be reused. The cardboard boxes we send our produce in are easily recycled. We are considering using more permanent vessels to distribute our produce in at some point too, but this involves a large investment in storage, cleaning and the packaging itself that we’re not quite ready for, especially with the risk of contamination from returned boxes at the moment.

Looking Ahead

Our Commitment to Continuous Improvement

Sustainability is an ongoing journey, and we are constantly looking for ways to improve. We regularly review our practices, from sourcing and packaging to ensuring we’re doing everything we can to back British farmers.

While we’re proud of the progress we’ve made, we know there’s always more to be done. We’re committed to staying informed about the latest sustainability practices and continuously finding innovative solutions that allow us to serve our customers while protecting the planet.