A Hereford company has taken the decision to close one area of its business due to ‘changing shopping habits’ following the COVID-19 pandemic and the ongoing impacts.

Fodder Wholefoods, based on Church Street in Hereford announced that the Fodder Basics stall at Hereford Butter Market would close next month but the good news is that items will still be available for purchase from the Fodder Wholefoods and Fodder Lotions and Potions stores in Church Street.

A statement released by Fodder said:

“It is with great sadness that Fodder Wholefoods announces the closure of Fodder Basics, it’s plastic free, zero waste stall based in Hereford Butter Market . Our final day of trading will be Saturday 14th May 2022.

“I have agonised over this decision for the last 6 months,” said Fodder Wholefoods owner, Mark Hubbard, “but I am afraid the COVID pandemic has killed what was a hugely popular initiative.”

“From December 2018 when Fodder Basics first opened, to the first lockdown in March 2020, it is estimated that over 250,000 plastic bags & bottles have been prevented from going to landfill or ending up in the ocean, but the stall was undone by COVID and the public’s changing shopping habits.

“We won’t stop reducing plastic waste,” added Mark, “Luckily our shops in Church Street Hereford are still trading well & we have never used plastic for our ‘own pack’ goods. So, we shall take the most popular products back to Fodder Wholefoods & Fodder Lotions & Potions in Church Street.

“The very popular household detergents will be available as refills in Fodder Wholefoods along with the peanut butter grinder & the toiletry refills will be upstairs in Fodder Lotions & Potions.”

“We look forward to welcoming all of our Fodder Basics customers to our shops in Church Street, where they will find a lot of the most popular products on the shelves – and it won’t be packed in plastic!”