Dresden's last unpackaged store: A farewell full of challenges!

Dresden's last unpackaged store: A farewell full of challenges!

The future of packaging-free shopping in Dresden is hanging in the balance. Berit Heller, the 56-year-old operator of the last remaining unpackaged store “Lose”, decided to give up her shop at the beginning of this year. Since opening in 2015, Heller has been offering its customers the opportunity to fill products in their own containers. But now Heller is having difficulty finding a successor because the last interested party dropped out. The uncertainty is compounded by her health problems, CREST syndrome, which requires special consideration. The search for a suitable successor for the business is intensifying, and cooperative models could even be considered to continue running the store. Sächsische.de reports that a farewell party under the motto “Farewell, Ms. Lose” is planned if the store closes.

The unpackaged store “Lose” is not alone in its need. Three similar shops in Dresden have recently closed their doors. The corona pandemic has permanently changed shopping behavior; During the crisis, up to 100 customers used to come every day, but now there are only around 30. Difficult conditions for everyone working in the sustainable retail sector. Deutschlandfunk culture reports that 14 unpackaged stores in Germany alone had to close in 2022. It seems as if the Hessians of retail are due not only to the countless changes of the last few years, but also to the emergence of online delivery services that are competing with the concept of on-site bottling.

The importance of unpackaged stores

Unpackaged stores like “Lose” are not just retail operations; They represent a movement that wants to reduce packaging waste and offer sustainable shopping alternatives. Tons of waste are produced annually in Europe, with Germany leading the way with more than 41 kilograms per capita. The idea of ​​packaging-free shopping came about in 2014 with the first unpackaged store in Kiel and has since become established in various cities. But the future of these stores remains in limbo. There are currently fewer and fewer unpackaged stores in Germany - in 2024 there were only 235, compared to 285 in 2023. Statista finds that the population's trust in the future relevance of packaging-free shopping is still strong. 22% of those surveyed have already shopped in an unpackaged store, while another third do not plan to do so.

The challenges in the unpackaged industry are diverse. High energy costs and inflation are affecting retail, while at the same time awareness of sustainability is dwindling. A look beyond Dresden's borders shows that other unpackaged stores such as the one in Halle's Bebelviertel are also experiencing similar financial difficulties. Financial stability often appears to be dependent on community support and customer loyalty.

The sale is currently underway at “Lose”, with products at half price. Heller still sees a community that provides support and hopes that perhaps a successor can still be found. Their approaches to creating an association or cooperative could be the key to continuing the legacy of “Lose” and keeping the concept of packaging-free shopping alive in Dresden. The coming months will be crucial as the lease expires at the end of January and could potentially end for good as early as October.