We are committed to protecting our environment – both locally and globally.  These are some of the things that we do;

We encourage our customers to reuse the boxes stock is delivered in,  rather than plastic bags, to pack their shopping in, and these are available in the till area.

We sell reusable jute carrier bags supplied by Jutexpo in Broadway. We heavily subsidise the cost of these to our customers.  These bags are made in India and shipped (not air freighted) to the UK.  When the bags finally wear out they can be composted.  Click on the Jutexpo link on the web Links page for more information.

All our carrier bags and roller bags for the fresh produce are biodegradable.

All our paper and cardboard waste is compacted, baled and recycled.

All the fruit and vegetable waste is collected and used as pig food.

We won’t use unnecessary packaging to display the fruit and vegetables.

The punnets we use for the soft fruits are supplied by Evesham Specialist Packaging.  The punnets are made from pulp which is the waste product from paper and box production.  After use the punnets can either be flattened and recycled with your paper recycling collection, or put on the compost heap. Click on the Evesham Specialist Packaging link on the Links page for more information.

In the Hiller Garden we use, and sell, a compost and soil improver made from recycled garden waste.  This is supplied by Severn Waste Services, who are Worcestershire’s waste management contractors.  Click on the Severn Waste link on the Links page for more information.

Hillers is famous for growing strawberries and raspberries.  We have recently started growing these crops in polythene tunnels. By doing this the farm can greatly reduce the number of chemicals applied to the fruit and protect the fruit from rain.  Water is trickled directly onto the soil where the plant needs it, and this prevents evaporation.  The water used is mainly from the winter storage of rain water held in our own reservoir. Any change in growing methods has positive and negative sides, but with great co-operation from Ragley Estates we have been able to carefully site the tunnels away from residential areas and reduce the visual impact on the landscape as much as possible.

Wherever possible we grow our own or source from local growers, usually within a 10 mile radius of the shop. 

If you have any suggestions or ideas about other ways we can help the environment and reduce the waste going to landfill sites, please contact us.