The iconic Borough Market is putting a strong emphasis on sustainability as it heads further into 2023, launching a number of new plans and welcoming in forward-thinking traders that address the environment within and beyond its footprint in London.
“With more than 25 million people a year visiting more than 100 specialist traders, we need to constantly ensure that sustainability in all its forms underpins both our high quality produce and the way that we operate on a day-to-day basis,” Jane Swift, CEO of Borough Market said. “As a charitable trust we have an important role to play in our community of shoppers, traders, staff and residents, and our global reputation means that we need to set the bar high when it comes to leading on ethical best practise.”
The first was welcoming aboard new vendor Date Sultan, an importer of ethically sourced premium dates from the Middle East. Launched by Syed Usman Shah, Date Sultan not only backs practises to eliminate modern slavery but only sets up agreements with farmers in Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Egypt and Palestine who promise to treat employees equally and pay them fair wages. Shoppers can find dates at the stall, as well as a creative twist on the Medjool variety: Date Sultan fills them with salted caramel and candied ginger.
The second was a plan to add an additional day to its surplus food collections with charity partner Plan Zheroes. Much of the potential food waste is top-quality produce, which instead goes to fight food hunger and waste. More than 20 charities benefit from the scheme, which now runs three days per week and gets distributed through the help of 40 volunteers. Borough Market’s traders have helped piece together more than 220,000 since its inception.
The third was launching a partnership last week with Fab Little Bag, a supplier of sustainable, disposal bags. The sanitary bags, made from 70% renewable plant sources and 30% recycled plastics, have been positioned near loos for women to help discard items in bins rather than being flushed and going into oceans and waterways.
And the fourth, along similar lines, was banning plastic water bottles while increasing the number of drinking foundations across the market.
“These sustainability initiatives give four more reasons for shoppers and locals alike to love our iconic London Market,” Swift said.
