Schweriner FKK Unverpackt closes: Farewell to an environmental meeting place!

Schweriner FKK Unverpackt closes: Farewell to an environmental meeting place!

The unpackaged shop “FKK Unverpackt” in Schwerin has closed its doors. Susanne Meletzki, the store's founder and owner, is closing it after five years of successful work, during which it has established itself as an important meeting place for environmentally conscious consumers. Meletzki, who is a single parent and had a full day of work at the store, would like to take more care of her family from now on. Although she searched intensively for a successor, the search was unsuccessful. “I tried for a year to find someone to carry on my mission,” says Meletzki. But despite promising discussions, no one was found who wanted to take over the store concept. This fate appears to be part of a larger development, as many unpackaged stores in Germany are currently fighting for survival; In 2023, 20 of them have already closed while only four new ones have opened - a worrying trend for the industry. This is reported by the Deutschlandfunk culture.

The closure of “FKK Unverpackt” comes as no surprise given the breadth of challenges the retail sector has faced in recent years. From the corona pandemic to ongoing price increases to changing consumer habits – all of this has left its mark. More and more customers are tending to minimize their purchases and prefer simple, quick solutions instead of the more complicated shopping in unpackaged stores. In many cases, customers bring their own containers to pump out products such as rice, soaps or washing powder. The concept has charm, but it comes across as a retail industry that is heavily influenced by speed. “The change among consumers is significant,” explains Chrissi Holzmann from the Unverpackt Association. The decline in customer interest means that stores are fighting for their existence ( daily news ).

Social meeting place and sales

“FKK Unverpackt” was not just a shop, but also developed into a social meeting place where environmentally conscious people exchanged ideas and worked together for a better world. The store offered a diverse range from food to cosmetic products without harmful packaging. The goal has always been to provide a platform for high-quality products that are also environmentally friendly. “We want to reduce plastic waste and offer healthy food at affordable prices,” says Meletzki, summarizing the shop’s philosophy.

Sales are currently underway in the store; Customers have the opportunity to purchase various products at special prices. “We started large-scale campaigns and store sales,” says Meletzki. A farewell party is also planned for October 15th, where the store's supporters will have the last opportunity to say goodbye to “FKK Unverpackt” and redeem vouchers until October 30th.

The future of unpackaged stores

After the closure, Meletzki will work as a freelance designer and plans to gain more time for her family. The challenges she has experienced with her store are part of a broader problem currently plaguing the convenience store industry. Experts like Petra Süptitz from GfK note that consumers have become increasingly price-sensitive and often resort to cheaper, more practical alternatives. “The fear of inflation overshadows awareness of climate change,” says Süptitz. So while the basic ideas of unpackaged stores still seem sensible, the operators need creative solutions to meet the changing needs of consumers.

In view of the current crisis, it is clear: the concept of unpackaged stores must be reinvented in order to continue to exist in the future.