With the objective of ending unnecessary waste, Katy Impellizzeri, has opened Ethikli – a zero waste grocery refill store. It is the first store of this kind in Long Beach, California, a coastal city south of Los Angeles.
At Ethikli, all items are sold in bulk and the customer brings their own containers or selects from Ethikli’s container assortment to put product into. Everything is vegan and cost is calculated by weight. There are dry goods, refrigerated items and household products. The store also operates as an e-retailer with an expansive selection of products on their website, available for shipping.
Owner and founder Katy Impellizzeri’s journey began 10 years ago when she realized the waste she was contributing to and how immense plastic waste in the United States, which then became exacerbated by the pandemic.
“Ethikli was born out of my frustration for the abundance of waste, suffering, abuse, lack of inclusivity and greed behind the everyday products we’ve been brainwashed into buying in excess. I’ve decided to put my money where my mouth (and heart) is and am committed to only supporting businesses that meet my high ethical standards. I turned my personal list of (Ethikli Approved) companies and products into an online shop so that my family, friends, YOU and I can easily shop with peace of mind all in one place… but I truly believe that we can incite change together; one purchase at a time. A lot of time and research goes into every single product that I bring in here, to make sure there’s no child labor, there’s no forced labor, everyone along the supply chain is paid fair, living wages,” Impellizzeri states on the website.
