FAQs, top shopping tips and delivery

We get a lot of questions about how to shop with Lil so we thought we would try and round them all up here for you. If there’s some else you would like to know pop it in the comments below and we’ll get back to you.

Where’s your shop?

Sorry, we don’t have a shop and we have no fixed plans for one at the moment.

We LOVE the idea of a shop full of gleaming mason jars and recycled wood panelling. We daydream a lot about how our shop would look. Truly, a lot.

But…

We are for all of East Lothian and Edinburgh too so setting up a shop in one location would limit access to many of our customers who live elsewhere. So we bring the shop to you through pop ups, markets and click and collect. That way we get to meet existing and new customers - we love being out and about, talking to people about making Lil steps.

The additional overheads of a bricks and mortar shop are onerous for a small business and worst of all we would have to pass them on to you, our customers! We are keen to make zero waste as affordable as possible for everyone.

So if there’s no shop, how do I get my stuff?

You can shop one of two ways:

1. Shop online and have your order delivered to you

2. Shop in person at a pop up, market or other event. You can find where we’ll be on our events page.

How do deliveries work?

We usually compile orders on a Tuesday and Thursday. If you need it urgently, let us know in your delivery notes.

All our products are available for delivery. You can receive your order a number of ways:

• by post

• via click & collect

• via one of our partners veg box deliveries

Post

During checkout you will be asked how you would like your order shipped. For posting, you can choose Royal Mail 1st of 2nd Class post. This will calculate the postage charge and add it to the total. For orders over 3kg we would recommend selecting a courier.

Click & Collect

This free service is only for East Lothian and surrounds - check the locations below. Order online and choose a collection point as your shipping method during checkout. We deliver your order to that point and let you know it is there with an ‘order fulfilled’ email. You collect at your convenience (note the collection hours below).

We are delighted to have the support of a number of other local businesses across East Edinburgh, East Lothian and the Scottish Borders as click and collect points:

• North Berwick: Lockett Bros, 133 High St. Friday afternoon/ weekend collection. Last orders by noon Thursday.

• Musselburgh: Mint Fig, 66 High St. Tues - Saturday 10 til 4pm

• Dunbar: Nordic Edit, Belhaven Fruit Farm 10-3pm Mon - Saturday

• Haddington: Wee Red Upcycles, Church Street. Collection Wednesday 11-2; Saturdays 12-2. Last orders Tuesday noon, Thursdays 5pm respectively.

• Other Haddington pick up by arrangement – email us hello@dolilthings.org

• Longniddry: Redhouse Nurseries. Friday / Saturday collections, 10am-4pm. Last orders by noon Wednesday.

• Portobello: Skylark, High Street, fortnightly collections on Thursdays. Last orders by noon Wednesday.

• Gifford: Beech & Birch, 10-2pm Tues - Saturday

• Abbey St Bathans: The Riverside Cafe. Weekend collection only. Last orders noon Wednesday.

• The Old Castle, East Saltoun, by arrangement- email hello@dolilthings.org or text Sarah on 07765126700

If your business is happy to join this list, please get in touch hello@dolilthings.org to discuss. If you work for a large organisation and have a group interested in buying from us get in touch and we may be able to deliver to your office.

Veg box deliveries

We have collaborated with Phantassie Organic Produce and East Lothian Roots & Fruits to offer you more of your grocery shop in the one, local delivery. The full Lil range is available for delivery through these routes.

If you’re a Phantassie Organic subscriber, your Lil order will arrive with your next delivery as long as you made the deadline of noon Monday. If you’re not a regular Phantassie customer but ordered a fruit/veg/eggs box via Lil, then Phantassie will deliver your parcels (on its next run, assuming you made the deadline of noon Monday). See our blog post here for more info.

Our new collaboration with East Lothian Roots & Fruits will be announced shortly - yay!

I love the idea of zero waste coming to me, but aren’t I supposed to bring jars to you?

Absolutely! We love seeing you guys at our pop ups, markets, events. Bring your jars, old icecream tubs, bags, bottles, whatever you’d like to fill. We also have recycled paper food bags, and recycled bottles for refills too.

If you would like food or detergent refills, it’s worth dropping us a line first at hello@dolilthings.org to double check we’re bringing enough of that particular thing you want. For large orders, such as anything over 1kg, you’re best to order online before the day for pick up at the event (select delivery option ‘click and collect’).

Not everyone can make it to our events so for deliveries we use those recycled paper bags and bottles too. You can even give old ones back to us to use again - just pop your name & food request on the bag and we can use it for as long as you’re happy to. Then we’ll use your preferred delivery choice (see deliveries, next). HOW DO THEY GET THEM BACK TO US??

So no shop but where are you based?

We are in East Lothian, near Haddington (Scotland). Beautiful coastline, farmlands, woods and characterful villages and towns.

Are you a social enterprise?

We are indeed. Lil is a Community Interest Company. We use all profits from Lil to fund community sustainability projects, behaviour change and education about our environment.

Every pound we spend is a vote for the world we want to live in

Each product we sell delivers a benefit to people and the environment itself plus the profit on that product contributes to further benefits. So THANK YOU.

How do you package orders for delivery?

We reuse packing material and boxes wherever possible (almost always) and use plastic free paper tape to seal them.

Where do you source your products?

We choose the products we stock carefully. Each one is selected to have at least one beneficial impact and most have several. With our range we aim to:

• remove single use, disposable plastic items;

• reduce packaging, particularly plastics;

• remove synthetic chemicals, focussing on natural, sustainable ingredients;

• support local producers and makers where possible;

• support other social enterprises so that our purchasing also gives back;

• choose ethical products in terms of their production and transport - considering workers, the environment in the place of production, avoiding air freighted products etc.

• offer practical, beautiful and affordable things and delicious, nutritious foods.

We believe our way of living shouldn’t cost the earth. That doesn’t mean we stop washing (although reducing laundry/showers/hair washing is a sustainable move for the planet and your time - the “is it really dirty?” test - but I digress). We believe in stylish, sustainable products that don’t cost the earth.

We love working with other social enterprises, like our Jerry Bottles that give profits to clean water projects. Or the Hey Girls! range, fighting to end period poverty through a buy one, gift one scheme - and their East Lothian based too.

We try to source locally wherever we can, and where it’s appropriate. Bamboo grows really well in Asia - that’s where the products are likely to be made, and we work up the supply chain to push for workers’ rights, minimise packaging and negative environmental impacts.

I have an allergy to…

We are sorry but we are not well placed for accommodating allergies. The Lil pantry is stocked with many allergens, including stock that arrives from producers/wholesalers with advice that it may have already come into contact with allergens.

We do ensure we clean scoops between use and ensure allergens are stored, air-tight, separately. Customers with allergens who prefer to shop with us are advised to let us know in the delivery notes, and we will ensure that packaging and other materials have also not knowingly come in contact with allergens.

My gift card/ discount code is not working

Make sure your subtotal value is equal to or greater than the value of the gift card/discount code where this is a value in pounds sterling.

Double check that you have entered the code correctly, particularly number zero 0 and letter ‘o’. Likewise for number 1 and letter ‘i’.

If this does not solve your problem please email us at hello@dolilthings.org with your code and we will investigate and issue a new one if necessary.

I have another/ different question

Please don’t hesitate to ask! Just pop it in the comments below and we’ll get back to you ASAP x