Nothing But Footprints, Banbury’s first zero waste shop, is celebrating its two-year anniversary at Castle Quay. Despite the global pandemic the store has excelled over the last two years, drawing customers from across Oxfordshire to purchase packaging-free foods and household cleaning products, alongside sustainably sourced and plastic-free products for the eco-conscious home.
The people behind this remarkable brand are local Banbury residents Daniel Ludlow and Violeta Martin Garcia. To live a conscientious life is their passion and they wanted to bring this way of living to the people of Banbury, after spotting there were no zero waste shops in the area.
Two years on and the owners have noticed their customer profile has grown, as more and more people are looking to live more sustainably. People are now shopping purposefully and buying a lot more of their weekly shop when visiting the store – some customers are even shopping exclusively with them, which is incredible to see.
The store’s most popular items include bamboo socks, soap sets and the world-famous Tony’s chocolate – they sell all 13 flavours of this chocolate, whereas most supermarkets often only offer one flavour. The owners also choose to work with small start-up companies to source their ethical products, making their produce even more unique and relevant.
Daniel Ludlow and Violeta Martin Garcia owners of Nothing but Footprints said, “There is no doubt that the last couple of years have been tough, but we’ve certainly seen the light at the end of the tunnel. We have a very loyal fanbase that has supported us throughout and we want to say a big thank you to them. Choosing to live a sustainable life isn’t always easy but it is so rewarding. Anyone can do it – you just need to start small and make a few positive changes to the way you live. Just start the journey and your appreciation for food will be transformed - you’ll never look back!”
Oliver Wren, Centre Director at Castle Quay Shopping Centre said, “Daniel and Violeta have an incredible store and it’s been wonderful to see their brand and following develop over the last two years. They are a very important independent tenant to the centre and really complement the offer we have inside Lock29. This is a movement that is only going to grow in popularity over the coming years and I’m very excited to see what’s next for Nothing But Footprints.”