Owner Jordan Perata, right, pictured with her mother

WATCH OUR HISTORY CHANNEL, UNTOLD LONDON, ON YOUTUBE

A ZERO-waste store is set for closure as its owner says it’s time for a new chapter.

Launching Kilo in Holloway Road just two weeks before the Covid pandemic hit, owner Jordan Perata set out on a mission to help customers shop more sustainably, with her store giving the option to stock up on all the everyday essentials – including rice, milk, and washing-up liquid – without the polluting packaging.

But now Ms Perata says she plans to close the business at the end of February, unless someone offers to step in and take it off her hands.

“We had a five-year lease and it’s come to its end,” Ms Perata said.

“I’ve had a baby, she’s 11 months now, and I’m having a hard time balancing the shop and the baby.

“I don’t think it’s going to get any easier, so we’ve made the unfortunate decision to close.”

Inside zero-waste store Kilo in Holloway Road

Ms Perata added that the Covid pandemic and the cost of living crisis had made it increasingly difficult for zero-waste shops to thrive.

“It’s not the most ideal time to be running a zero-waste shop”, she said. “People don’t have the mental capacity to think about it when their heating bills are skyrocketing and you’re having to make difficult decisions for your family.”

The products in Kilo come from mainly independent suppliers, which means one shock event can lead to soaring purchasing costs.

Ms Perata said: “We buy from ethical suppliers. If the costs go up for them, the costs go up for us.

Bad harvests can lead to increased prices. For example, the price of chocolate almost tripled after just one bad harvest.”

Kilo owner Jordan Perata

She added that zero-waste shops still suffer from the perception of being expensive: “We’re going up against a lot. Fighting that constantly, it can be exhausting. It’s a lot of work for us.”

But the owner said that the past five years had been an “incredibly positive experience”, and wanted to thank staff and customers for supporting Kilo.

Ms Perata said she would love to sell the store to “someone who is passionate about zero waste and supporting the community by it.”

She added: “It’s not easy to run, but it’s very fulfilling to run. The customers make it worth it.

“We’ve had so many incredible chats with customers. We’ve seen families grow.

“People graduate from uni, and get their first job. We’ve seen all this and it’s been a lot of fun.”