A TOTTINGTON resident is hoping to help people reduce their environmental footprint by opening a plastic-free shop.

Abbie Sellers, aged 26, has decided to open the shop after experiencing difficulties with locating plastic-free products herself.

The shop, which will open in the former site of The House of Beer, in Silver Street, Ramsbottom, will offer customers a wide range of products aimed at reducing their plastic consumption, including grains, nuts, coffee, chocolate, dried fruit, baking products, tea and even toothbrushes.

The idea behind the shop, which will be called Plentiful (formerly Fulfilled), will be that customers bring their own container or paper bag, both of which will be on sale there, and pay according to the weight of certain products.

Speaking about her reason for opening it, Ms Sellers said: “I wanted to shop ethically myself and buy things without plastic.

“It’s something I have always been passionate about, but it is really hard to find things without shopping at four or five different shops.

“My idea is for it to be a place where all that stuff is under one roof.”

The recent BBC series, Blue Planet 2, sparked a nationwide discussion about plastic pollution and the damage it is doing to the oceans, resulting in increasing numbers of people ditching single-use plastics, such as straws and milk cartons.

It is estimated that 50 per cent of plastic in the UK is used just once before being thrown away, and that more than eight million tonnes of plastic enter the world’s oceans each year.

Ms Sellers, who says she has been trying to cut down on her own plastic consumption for several years now, hopes the shop will cater to those who have made a similar decision in recent months.

She said: “I studied conservation at university, so have been interested in it for a while.

“This year, with it come into the public consciousness and all of the statistics coming out, it has become so big that it is a good time to do this.

“There is a definitely a hole for a plastic-free shop in Manchester.

“I hope it will appeal to people who are already motivated to reduce their impact and buy organic products.”

Ms Sellers, who works for an environmental charity and nature reserve near Leeds, hopes the shop will be ready to open its doors by early September.

For more information, visit https://plentifulshop.co.uk/.