9 Bulk & Zero Waste Stores In Toronto For A More Sustainable 6ix
Toronto isn’t just about towering skyscrapers reflected off the sparkling blue waters of the Toronto Harbour and iconic CN Tower views.
It’s also one of Canada’s most eco-minded communities—and you need look no further for proof than the best zero waste stores Toronto offers.
No wonder they call it Toronto the Good!
From the hustle of Queen Street West to the serene lakeside trailers, we’ve scoured every nook and cranny to unveil Toronto’s best-kept bulk shopping secrets.
Without further ado, let’s get T.O. it.
Toronto’s Best Zero Waste Stores
1. Unboxed Market
About Unboxed Market
Founded by hospitality professionals Michelle and Luis, the idea for Unboxed Market was fuelled by their desire to do something about packaging and food waste.
Growing up in locations where containers were returned to farmers, in Southwest Ontario and Southern Portugal, they knew that it was possible to reverse our throwaway lifestyle.
This Toronto bulk food store helps customers reduce their accumulated unnecessary waste and save money.
You can bring clean containers from home or pay a deposit for theirs.
What You Can Find
Unboxed Market has a wide range of package-free items on the shelves including pasta, rice, beans, dried nuts, baking essentials, teas, coffee, cleaning products, and personal care items, like soothing naturally-scented aromatherapy shower drops.
We love the looks of their varied selection of dried herbs and staple cooking spices—such as cajun seasoning, chili powder, cracked cardamom, jerk seasoning, and garlic powder—packaged in compostable paper bags.
Unboxed Market also uses the products from their market to create grab-and-go products for their cafe.
Location: Beaconsfield Village
2. The Green Jar
About The Green Jar
Regal Heights residents searching for “zero waste stores near me” will find it in this Toronto refill store.
Reducing single-use plastics is a top priority for The Green Jar, hence their range of products that aren’t just plastic-free but will help you reduce further waste every day.
The Green Jar also gives back to the Earth by planting trees with every order through their partner Our Forest. This organization helps create habitats for wildlife, creates reforestation jobs for people in need, and helps sequester carbon from the atmosphere.
What You Can Find
The Green Jar’s in-store refillery features a range of personal care and household products for simple bulk buying.
Their refillery menu offers all the usual suspects—shampoo, conditioner, deodorant, dish powder, and the like—as well as some more unusual but no less useful finds.
We especially love that offer refillable pure oils and plant butters, like raw shea butter, jojoba oil and MCT oil, making them a real DIYer’s dream-come-true!
Location: Regal Heights
3. The Source Bulk Foods
About The Source Bulk Foods
The Source Bulk Foods stores aim to offer a unique shopping experience that provides quality ingredients while at the same time allowing you to buy only what you need, all without unnecessary packaging.
They actually have a number of locations, like their zero waste store in Vancouver but the two locations in Toronto are locally owned and operated by folks that are genuinely passionate about quality food, healthy options, and reducing food waste.
Access to a friendly team of naturopaths, nutritionists, dieticians, and passionate cooks is also available.
Since they opened doors to this zero waste grocery store, Toronto customers have helped save 5,000+ kilos of plastic packaging waste from landfills by buying in bulk.
$50,000 has also been donated to support Sea Shepherd by Source Stores globally.
What You Can Find
Easily some of the best bulk food stores in Toronto, The Source allows you to buy as much or as little as you need, reducing food waste as well as packaging waste.
You’ll find beans, pulses, cereals, coffee, tea, dried fruit, flour, herbs, spices, nuts, oils, pasta, rice, seeds, and a host of other useful items.
It’s also one of the best places to pick up chocolate gifts for your vegan loved ones, including Brazil nuts covered in vegan-friendly dark chocolate.
Location: Roncy | Leslieville
4. Pretty Clean Shop Toronto
About Pretty Clean Shop Toronto
The Pretty Clean Shop has been operating in the Junction neighborhood of Toronto since May 2019. The spark that promoted female founder and owner Miriam to opening her Toronto zero waste store was a document that showcased the amount of waste created daily in North America.
All packaging they get from suppliers is used for packaging their shipments to customers, storage, and upcycling purposes. Any tape used is recyclable paper tape and any plastic tape received on shipments is reused in-store.
All refillables for home cleaning and body care are returned to suppliers to be refilled and reused.
What You Can Find
Aside from a large selection of plastic-free everyday items that help you live more sustainably, you’ll also find refillable products from home cleaning, hair, body, skincare, and makeup.
In the early days, they offered all refillable products in bulk in customer containers, but following the pandemic, refillable products are now offered in pre-filled jars you can return and trade in for a full one.
Items that particularly caught our attention are the waterless home cleaners, including dishwasher tabs, laundry detergent strips, toilet cleaner tablets, dish soap bars, and much more.
Location: Junction
5. bare market
About bare market
bare market made a name for itself with several pop-up shops before opening its first brick-and-mortar Toronto refill store in Danforth.
Owner Dayna Stein hosted monthly package-free pop-ups in the city which allowed her to test different products and price points to get a better understanding of demand.
She works with local suppliers and specialists and often turns to Etsy, farmer’s markets, and local events to find the best package-free goods the city has to offer.
What You Can Find
You can shop online or in the shop for baking ingredients, dry goods, pantry items, home care, body care, drinks, oils, and vinegars.
The oil and vinegar bar has several varieties of each product on tap.
You’ll also find drinks (including a large selection of non-alcoholic options), dairy and non-dairy goods, local pasture raised eggs, and frozen fruits, veg, pastas, meats and plant-based proteins.
Shop online for delivery or pick-up, or visit the store in person.
Location: East Danforth
6. Omo Bamboo Shop
About Omo Bamboo Shop
Omo Bamboo Shop sells a range of bamboo products (hence the name) as well as minimalist crafts made out of cement, soaps, body butter, and minimalist textured art.
The owners make an impact in the community by organizing clothing swaps, promoting zero waste education, and participating in cleanup programs.
What You Can Find
Head down to this refillery and zero waste shop in Toronto to find everything from sustainable dental care, skin care, and hair care to reusable bamboo makeup compacts.
Bulk refill products include conditioners and shampoos, dish soap bars, stain remover, fabric softener, toilet bowl cleaner, and laundry detergent.
They even offer refillable deodorant creams, which is a seriously rare find!
Location: Riverside
7. Green & Frugal
About Green & Frugal
One of the best zero waste stores in Toronto, Green & Frugal is a low waste maker of green body care items.
Everything is safely handcrafted in small batches to ensure freshness and quality control.
Top quality, sustainably-sourced, and organic ingredients are used wherever possible. For example, all oil ingredients are sourced from a supplier that supports sustainable practices.
Packaging is reusable and many of the metal containers are made from recycled materials.
What You Can Find
Water or water bases are not part of any of the products, which eliminates the need for synthetic preservatives or emulsifiers.
They include soap nuts, Castile soap, natural toothpaste, deodorant cream, bath salts, body scrubs, and hair and body soap bars in a wide range of “flavors” such as rosemary mint, avocado lemongrass, coconut and chia, and dandelion and lime.
The available products are very concentrated, so a little goes a long way.
Location: Fallingbrook
8. The RE Place
About The RE Place
The RE Place mission statement is to “make eco-friendly living accessible, one REfill at a time”.
At this zero waste store in Toronto, the priority is to work with Canadian companies that use natural, fair-trade, and eco-friendly ingredients.
Though we highly recommend checking out their bright and clean storefront at least once, you can also shop online and even set your own subscribe-and-save settings for effortless deliveries to your door.
A deposit is added to the cost of goods, which is refunded when the jar is returned.
When you reach the end of that plastic tub of laundry detergent, simply refill it or swap it out for some Almond Blossom detergent in a glass jar.
What You Can Find
On top of laundry soap, cleaners, lotion, deodorant, and sunscreen, the RE Place also has a selection of pantry goods pre-filled in glass jars. These include coffee beans, freshly ground nut butters, and loose tea.
Some products aren’t zero waste, but they are all natural and environmentally-safe, like their bottles of non-toxic nail polish.
Location: East Danforth
9. Karma Co-op
About Karma Co-op
A Seaton community staple since 1972, Karma Co-op is a democratically run co-operative owned by its 500+ members.
Karma has a product policy that guides purchasing. Some of the issues that inform purchasing include environmental, ethical, nutritional, and economic considerations.
Anyone interested in becoming a member of this bulk grocery store in Toronto can visit the store for one month of trial shopping at member prices. You can then decide if membership is right for you.
They also host regular workshops for all things sustainable living, including oh-so-many DIY tutorials and seed starting classes.
What You Can Find
Karma specializes in organic, local, non-GMO, and fair trade products.
While not exclusively zero waste, their offerings include over 200 bulk items, including the usual pantry staples fruits, nuts, pasta, and whole bean coffee.
You’ll also find harder-to-find refillables like organic kombucha, dishwasher detergent powder, white vinegar, sustainably sourced honey, and maple syrup—because would it even be a Canadian bulk grocery store without that?
Location: Seaton Village
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Final Thoughts On Package-Free & Bulk Stores Toronto
While you’re strolling through the Distillery District or enjoying the lush beauty of High Park, keep the zero waste momentum going!
For any Torontonians seeking more waste-free wonders, remember to explore the city’s local thrift stores, because second hand sustainability always stays in style.
If you ever find yourself daydreaming about the adventures beyond the 401 and these Toronto zero waste stores, there’s a whole world of zero waste shopping stores and even bulk stores online waiting for your virtual exploration.
Help keep Toronto green, clean, and proudly zero waste by sharing this guide on how to shop more sustainably in the 6ix.
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