A district-funded zero-waste shop, Tingi Tindahan, has opened in Malabon City, Philippines, offering household goods in refillable containers. The store aims to reintroduce reuse and refill methods, moving away from single-use plastic sachets.
Customers bring their own bottles and tubs to be filled with items such as soy sauce, cooking oil, flour, and sugar. The shop also sells sweets and banana chips in brown kraft paper bags.
Khate Nolasco, a councillor in Potrero, Malabon, spearheaded the initiative in July 2024. She noted that products at Tingi Tindahan are cheaper than those found in supermarkets; for example, 100ml of vinegar costs 3 Philippine pesos less than a sachet at grocery shops.
The store is run by women who also serve as waste monitors in Potrero. While residents were initially hesitant, more people have started using the shop due to the lower prices. The initiative is estimated to have diverted at least 145,000 sachets from landfill.