The owner of a Perthshire plastic-free refill shop in Perthshire has blamed the cost of living crisis for the demise of her business.
It’s just over two years since June Wallace opened The Filling Station in Methven in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Having survived that, she says the rising cost of products and a rapid fall in takings have forced her to close the business.
In April, June said business was steady but it has suffered a dramatic decline since.
Takings are down more than 50% in the past month.
As a result, the shop will shut for the final time on Friday.
Cost of living forcing shopping changes
June said people are now being more careful with their money, and those who worked from home during the pandemic now don’t have the same amount of spare time.
“Last month and this month have been very difficult. I just can’t keep going,” she said.
“People don’t shop in niche shops now.
“The bigger shops are starting to stock so a lot more environmentally-friendly products now.
“That’s great from a wider point of view.
“It’s good that you can go to Tesco, The Range or Dunelm and find things that are more environmentally-friendly.
“The supermarkets are really catching on to it now.”
June, 55, said the rising cost of fuel is another factor for declining footfall.
She also said her own commute has become twice as expensive in recent months.
“People want to go to a one-stop shop. When you get in the car, you go to one shop and go home again.
“You’re not going to drive out here to my shop, drive to the butcher, then the baker. People don’t want to be doing that with the cost of fuel.
“My own fuel costs to get here have nearly doubled as well.”
‘It wasn’t a difficult decision’ to close Perthshire refill shop
June said the decline in sales made it an easy decision to close the shop.
She added that not having any staff made the decision easier.
“It was completely my own decision.
“Takings were down in April and May, but only about 30% so I could’ve kept going.
“This month is down more than 50% and the cost of wholesale goods is still rising.
“It just wasn’t economical.
“I hadn’t paid myself for a month either and you can’t keep going like that.”
She said it was disappointing to shut the shop and not fulfil the ambitions she had when she opened in August 2020.
“I said at the start I’d give it a go and if it didn’t work, I could say I’d tried.
“It is a shame, but never mind. It’s just the circumstances.”
June isn’t done running a zero-waste refill shop though. She is going to manage the Handam Refill Station store in Pitlochry.
She said she is looking forward to not having the responsibility of owning the business.
Conversation