Bulk-buying, refill stores, zero waste shops in Hungary
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Do you just hate that empty plastic detergent bottles end up in the trash? Here’s a list of bulk shops and zero waste stores where you can simply refill your own containers, bottles. Washing-up liquid, laundry gel, fabric softener, vinegar, washing soda and more in minimal packaging. Also, we have checked to see if DM drugstore chain is actually offering refill detergents and cosmetics as they had pledged to do six months ago.
Buying a green EU eco-labeled cleaning detergent is just one of the many possible ways to go green in your household. The multi-functional mixture of baking soda, washing soda, vinegar, citric acid is a brilliant solution too. Check out our series of articles, our EcoCleaning Guide to see how you can use DIY in your household. Packaging is important for sustainability in products used for cleaning, just like in all other products.
The major interest of manufacturers is to make you think that you as a customer need a different product for each surface, for each cleaning activity. Accordingly, in an average Hungarian household, there are roughly 3-5 types of detergent bottles waiting to be used. Eventually, these plastic bottles will end up in the trash and then (in Hungary) most probably in a waste incinerator or in the landfill.
At present, the rate of plastic packaging waste recycling in Hungary is around 32%, making the country one of the lasts among the EU member states. Yet neither the variety nor the number of discarded bottles are prerequisites for keeping your home clean!
In recent years, a number of zero waste bulk shops have opened in Hungary – we have collected where you can go to if you wish to buy refillable cleaning products and toiletries.
We visited the stores and asked if we could get the laundry detergents, washing-up liquid, soap etc. in our own container or only in the refill container of the given brand. Good news is that
many of the shops sell the “jolly joker” cleaning agent, vinegar, as well as washing soda and baking soda in bulk.
In many bulk stores, in addition to the basic cleaning agents (laundry detergent, washing-up liquid, soap, baking soda, citric acid, vinegar), further cleaning agents and toiletries are also available in bulk. It is worth noting that in some places you can refill the detergent of the same brand only in its own bottle. That is, you must first buy the packaged cleaning agent and then later, if you return the emptied bottle, you can refill it with the same product.
So check the list below and go shopping to the bulk store nearby.
AJKA
Bring your own containers to refill washing soda, baking soda, vinegar, citric acid.
BIATORBÁGY
Bring your own containers to refill liquid laundry detergents, liquid soap, vinegar. To be refilled only in the brand’s own container: washing-up liquid.
BUDAKESZI
Bring your own containers to refill liquid laundry detergent, washing-up liquid, liquid soap, washing soda, baking soda, vinegar, citric acid.
BUDAPEST
District2 Zero Waste
Bring your own containers to refill liquid laundry detergent, washing-up liquid, liquid soap, washing soda, baking soda, vinegar, citric acid.
District11 Bieco
Bring your own containers to refill liquid laundry detergent, washing-up liquid, liquid soap. To be refilled only in the brand’s own container: washing soda, baking soda.
District11 Bulk Shop
Bring your own containers to refill liquid laundry detergent, washing-up liquid, washing soda, baking soda, vinegar, citric acid.
District11 Ligeti Bulk Shop
Bring your own containers to refill liquid laundry detergent, baking soda, citric acid.
District11 Green Shelf
Bring your own containers to refill liquid laundry detergent, washing-up liquid, liquid soap.
District12 Naeked – ZeroWaste Shop and TeaShop
Bring your own containers to refill baking soda, vinegar, citric acid.
To be refilled only in the brand’s own container: washing soda.
District12 Green Shelf
To be refilled only in the brand’s own container: liquid laundry detergent, dishwashing liquid, all-purpose cleaning agent, bathroom cleaning detergent, floor cleaner, toilet cleaner, liquid soap, shampoo, shower gel, baby bath preparation, bubble bath.
District13 Ligeti Bulk Shop
Bring your own containers to refill liquid laundry detergent, baking soda, citric acid.
District17 Kegyes Vegyes
Bring your own containers to refill liquid laundry detergent, a variety of washing gels, all-purpose cleaning agent with organic alcohol, washing soda, baking soda, citric acid, vinegar.
District19 Happy Earth
Bring your own containers to refill liquid laundry detergent, washing-up liquid, liquid soap, washing soda, baking soda, vinegar, citric acid.
CEGLÉD
Bring your own containers to refill laundry soap white/color, liquid laundry detergent, citric acid, sodium percarbonate, washing-up liquid, washing gels, fabric softeners, washing soda, baking soda, vinegar 10% / 20%, citric acid limescale remover, all-purpose cleaning agent with organic alcohol.
DEBRECEN
Bring your own containers to refill liquid laundry detergent, washing-up liquid, liquid soap, washing soda, baking soda, vinegar, citric acid.
DUNAÚJVÁROS
Bring your own containers to refill laundry detergents, fabric softener, washing-up liquid, all-purpose cleaning products, citric acid, washing soda, baking soda.
EGER
Bring your own containers to refill liquid laundry detergent, washing-up liquid, liquid soap, baking soda, vinegar.
GYÖMRŐ
Bring your own containers to refill liquid laundry detergent, washing-up liquid, liquid soap, baking soda, vinegar.
GYÖNGYÖS
Bring your own containers to refill liquid laundry detergent, washing-up liquid.
GYŐR
Bring your own containers to refill liquid laundry detergent, washing-up liquid, liquid soap, washing soda, baking soda, citric acid.
HAJDÚBÖSZÖRMÉNY
Bring your own containers to refill liquid laundry detergent, washing-up liquid, liquid soap, washing soda, baking soda, vinegar, citric acid.
HAJDÚNÁNÁS
Bring your own containers to refill liquid laundry detergent, washing-up liquid, liquid soap, vinegar.
JÁSZBERÉNY
Bring your own containers to refill liquid laundry detergent, washing-up liquid, liquid soap, baking soda, vinegar.
KECSKEMÉT
Bring your own containers to refill liquid laundry detergent, washing-up liquid, liquid soap, washing soda, baking soda, vinegar, citric acid.
MISKOLC
Bring your own containers to refill liquid laundry detergent, washing-up liquid, liquid soap, vinegar, citric acid.
To be refilled only in the brand’s own container: washing soda, baking soda.
PÉCS
Bring your own containers to refill baking soda, vinegar.
To be refilled only in the brand’s own container: liquid laundry detergent, washing-up liquid, liquid soap.
SOPRON
Bring your own containers to refill liquid laundry detergent, washing-up liquid, liquid soap, washing soda, baking soda, vinegar, citric acid.
SZEGED
Bring your own containers to refill liquid laundry detergent, fabric softener, washing-up liquid, liquid soap, baking soda, vinegar, citric acid, degreasing agent, descaler, toilet oil, stainless window cleaner.
SZÉKESFEHÉRVÁR
Bring your own containers to refill liquid laundry detergent, baking soda, vinegar, citric acid.
To be refilled only in the brand’s own container: liquid laundry detergent, washing-up liquid.
VESZPRÉM
Bring your own containers to refill: washing gel for colored/white clothes scented/unscented, fabric softener, washing-up liquid unscented / lemon, all-purpose cleaning detergent with organic alcohol, toilet oils, baking soda, washing soda, vinegar, citric acid.
To be refilled only in the brand’s own container: liquid laundry detergent, washing-up liquid, all-purpose cleaning agent, bathroom cleaning detergent, floor cleaner, toilet cleaner, liquid soap, shampoo, shower gel, baby bath preparation, bubble bath.
So what’s up in DM? Did they keep their promise?
Since the above shops are scattered around Hungary and not all towns have a zero waste shop, you might have to be a real eco-fighter in your town to be able to go and find a zero waste shop. That’s why it was great news when, in 2020, the Hungarian DM drugstore chain launched (as a pilot project) the bulk-buying of detergents and cosmetics. The test run was turned on in Budaörs, but those vending machines have been withdrawn since then, currently the refilling machine is only available in the DM of Veresegyháza (if you are interested, the shop is located at Erkel Ferenc tér 4). Fabric softener, laundry detergent and washing-up liquid, as well as liquid soap, women’s shower gel and 2in1 men’s shower gel and shampoo, are currently available here in bulk. If you want to bulk-shop here, however, first you should buy a Sansin product because you can refill the bottles of Sansin only.
Cheaper and more sustainable
We contacted DM and they said that
you can save at least the price of a bottle on a refillable product and in the case of cosmetic products you can save an additional 20-30%.
We wanted to know if refillable products were popular among customers (compared to packaged products) and if yes how popular they were, but we did not receive any answers from DM that would make any sense. In the Budaörs store, we were told that the vending machine was very popular, many customers are waiting for the project to continue.
We also wanted to know when the special vending machines would be available in other DMs, across the country. We have received the response from the DM that for the time being, only the test run is still underway and that based on feedback and experience they would decide when and where the refill shopping would be launched. Unfortunately, no announcements were made about vending machines to be set up in other stores.
We truly hope that DM would not change its mind and that meanwhile any other nationally available drugstore or supermarket chain would realize what a great option bulk shopping is and would include this option in their services. Until then, reducing consumption and zero waste shopping will remain to us all as the best and only options.
Green&Safe LIFE-styles project is supported by the LIFE programme of the European Union and co-financed by the Hungarian Ministry of Agriculture. Project number: ENV GIE HU000622 Green&Safe LIFE-styles