MEMBERS of the Waste Action Group of Sustainable Crediton recently presented an award to Stevie B’s Bakery to thank it for being environmentally friendly.

Lyn Bundey, who runs the bakery with her husband, Stevie, was praised for her recent introduction of a scheme where products can be purchased but customers are encouraged to take along their own container for filling or their own bag to re-use.

The re-use scheme she has operated has saved a lot of plastic and avoids a lot of packaging.

The type of products she sells in this way includes seeds, chickpeas, poppy seeds, nuts, apricots, basil, diced pineapple, lentils, pasta, dates, rice, porridge oats, sundried tomatoes, garlic granules, turmeric, rosemary, carbonate of soda, flour, desiccated coconut, muesli, paprika, black peppercorns, icing products, herbs, spices, loose leaf tea and so much more.

Many of the products are organic.

The new scheme has been welcomed.

Chris Freeman said: “It is great to be able to buy all these foods loose and avoid the packaging.”

Nancy Freeman added: “I would like to thank Lyn who is encouraging recycling and is a hardworking, imaginative trader.

“In the present climate of heightened awareness with regard to plastics it is nice to see small shops and local people having as many ideas as the ‘big boys’ in the retail sector.”

Lyn was presented with a Sustainable Crediton Local Community Hero Award certificate for encouraging customers to reuse plastic containers.

Nancy added that the Action Group would like to hear of how other local businesses and people are encouraging shoppers to change their habits and recycle and re-use.